Man sentenced to 13 years for leaving female victim with head injuries

A man in New Cross has been jailed following a violent assault that left a woman with serious head injuries.

Simon Sparshatt, 47, from Waller Road, SE14, was sentenced to a total of 13 years’ imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm, false imprisonment and threats to kill at the same hearing.

On November 20, last year, police were called to Sparshatt’s address by a concerned member of the public after they had heard a woman calling for help.

On arrival, officers had to force entry to Sparshatt’s address where once inside they found a 40-year-old woman with serious head injuries.

She alleged Sparshatt had held her against her will and then repeatedly hit her with a wooden chair leg when she had refused to have sex with him.

Sparshatt was arrested and once in police custody he initially admitted attacking the victim, he also suggested he intended to cause her more harm.

He was subsequently charged and remanded in custody.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged.

DC Cora Keogh of the South East BCU said: “This was a violent and sustained attack on a defenceless woman; if it hadn’t been for the prompt call to police by a concerned member of the public and the actions of the officers when they arrived then this could have had far more serious consequences.

“Sparshatt is a violent man and I am pleased that the court has handed him a significant jail sentence which truly reflects the seriousness of his crime.”