A tenant who repeatedly attacked his 60-year-old landlord over a period of time causing her several injuries has been jailed for three years and two months.
Stephen Johnstone, aged 39, of Sandy Lane, Weston Point, pleaded guilty at Warrington Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm to Ellen Ramanouski.
The court heard how he kicked or hit her every day and that the landlord had suffered a broken ankle, punctured lung and fractured ribs as a result of the attacks at her property in Elizabeth Court, Widnes.
During a hospital visit to treat the injuries she told a doctor she had been assaulted by a person she knew but was too frightened to name him or tell the police.
Ms Ramanouski’s sister called the police and Johnstone and another tenant, Claire Fort, were arrested.
The pair initially denied the allegations but police managed to acquire corroborating witness statements from friends and neighbours, plus video interview with the victim in which she revealed Fort had also assaulted her.
As well as the prison sentence Judge David Hale also gave Johnstone a lifetime restraining order to protect Ms Ramanouski and her friends and relatives.
Fort received a one-year conditional discharge and a £100 fine when she appeared at an earlier hearing in December before Halton magistrates where she pleaded guilty to the assault.
