Plymouth Crown Court
File photo: Plymouth Crown Court Wikipedia

A Devon man has been sentenced to 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to several offences at Plymouth Crown Court relating to an abusive relationship with his former partner. Martyn Troup, 30, also pleaded guilty to assaulting a child after he slapped a five-year-old so hard in July that it left a red mark in the shape of a hand

Citing an example of the abuse against his partner, the Plymouth Herald reported Judge Ian Lawrie recounted and incident when Troup had "grabbed a soiled nappy and pushed it into [his partner's] face, causing faeces to make contact with her skin". Lawrie said that Troup had then laughed at the distressed woman.

Along with assaulting a child, Troup pleaded guilty to common assault on his partner, causing criminal damage, dangerous driving and possession of cannabis. Apart from the jail term, Troup cannot go back to Bigbury in Devon where he had shared a house with the woman whom he is also not allowed to contact.

Troup's criminal damage conviction came as a result of punching a door during a heated argument which his defence described as drug-fuelled.

The Plymouth Herald also reported that Troup's dangerous driving conviction came from an incident where he had chased the woman in his car and had driven the wrong way around a roundabout in an attempt to block the path of her vehicle.

Troup was described as a serial cocaine abuser according to his defence, but when he was off the drug, he was able to support his family as a plasterer. When police arrested him, he was found in possession of cannabis.