A 25 year old man has admitted to assaulting a woman outside the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon. The incident followed a chance meeting.
The court learned about the incident, which involved another person. Accounts of the event differed.
A witness called police on February 17 just before 6 PM. They saw three people on Princes Street. Ryan seemed to argue with a woman. The witness said Ryan was verbally abusive and pulled her hair, moving her against her will.
They went toward the Wyvern Theatre stairs, where another disturbance seemed to occur. Police arrested Ryan at the scene. The woman gave no statement.
Ryan had bail conditions that forbade contact with the woman due to another issue. Ryan’s lawyer said he was at probation and saw the woman by chance. CCTV footage showed different events, and his lawyer disputed the hair-pulling.
The woman and a man followed Ryan. The man acted aggressively toward them. Ryan ran from the scene, and the man chased him. All three grabbed each other, and the woman yelled abuse, CCTV showed. Ryan tried to punch the man holding him, but he hit the woman’s face unintentionally. She seemed uninjured.
Ryan’s lawyer called it a “convoluted tale.” Ryan pleaded guilty to assault because he wanted to fix his life. He wants to work with probation, believing rehabilitation could help him. He tried to avoid the woman and trouble in town.
Ryan left prison on February 6 after serving about a year. He has five prior convictions, which were crimes against a person. The judge called it “an unfortunate sequence.” Ryan spent two nights in custody. Ryan got a 12-month community order and must complete 20 RAR days, allowing him to work with probation.