Jailed South Yorkshire thug threatened to kill his terrified partner as he smothered her

Rikki Carter, aged 36, smothered his partner by placing a hand over her face and mouth while her youngest child was present, and during another incident he attacked her in her car with three youngsters in the rear seats.

Prosecuting barrister James Baird told a court hearing on March 6 that Carter had been arguing with his partner at her home in August before he threw her from the settee, sat astride her and placed one hand on her head and the other hand over her face and mouth, leaving her unable to breathe.

Mr Baird added: “The defendant leaned down towards the defendant’s ear and he bit her and caused a bruise. He said, ‘Shut your mouth or I will kill you,’ and this attack lasted approximately 20 seconds before the defendant stood up and began acting as though nothing had happened.”

Doncaster Crown Court heard that during a second incident in September the complainant had been driving with the defendant in the front seat and three children in the rear seats and after they had been shopping at an Aldi store the defendant became aggressive.

Mr Baird said Carter became aggressive and as the complainant attempted to drive him to his mother’s address he started shouting. After she stopped, he grabbed her steering wheel and tried to push her out of the vehicle, punched her repeatedly on her arms and tried to headbutt her as the children were screaming.

A couple in another vehicle who knew the defendant intervened, according to Mr Baird, and they all headed back to the complainant’s home to allow the defendant to collect his things. But after he came out he grabbed the complainant by her jaw and put his head to her head.

Carter pleaded guilty to intentional, non-fatal suffocation after the incident on August 23, 2022, and he also admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm following the attack on September 24, 2022.

The court also heard Carter has six previous convictions for 11 offences including an assault occasioning actual bodily harm against a former partner whom he had grabbed around the throat, and causing damage and sending a threatening message also relating to a former partner.

Defence barrister Richard Canning said since the defendant has been remanded in custody he has been regarded as an ‘enhanced’ and a ‘productive prisoner,’ he has shown insight into his offending and is remorseful.

The judge – Recorder Ian Mullarkey – told the defendant: “You were effectively throttling her and you leaned towards her and said, ‘shut your mouth or I will kill you.’ That must have been a terrifying experience for her to suffer particularly in the presence of her child who was in tears.”

Recorder Mullarkey sentenced Carter, of Low Grange Road, Thurnscoe, Barnsley, to 18 months of custody and he imposed a seven-year restraining order to protect the complainant.