A DRINK or drug crazed football fan who knocked the front teeth out of his girlfriend in a horrifying attack has been sent on course to curb his domestic violence.
Rhys Munslow left terrified victim Laura Goodwin with blood pouring out of her mouth and needing surgery and months of dental treatment to repair or remove seven of her bottom teeth.
He attacked her after drinking at a football game and returning to his home in Newton Abbot in such a disturbed state that she described him as ‘going psycho’.
She had been dog sitting while he went to a Torquay United game in October 2021 before and after which he went on an all-day bender.
He fell through the front door of his former flat off Queen Street, smashed his face on a table, and then vented his anger on Ms Goodwin, who he pinned to a bed and hit in the face with either a knee or an elbow.
She had to give up her job at a barmaid at a sports bar because of the damage to her teeth which she said prevented her smiling. She was also so alarmed by her injuries that she stayed away from her young son for five days to avoid scaring him.
She had tried to barricade herself in a bedroom to protect herself and his two dogs but he had barged his way in and attacked her.
She was filmed on a police body worn camera moments after fleeing the flat and was in hysteric and with blood gushing from her mouth. The damaged teeth eventually had to be removed and she is still awaiting private treatment to repair the damage.
On the bodycam footage she could be heard sobbing: “He’s going psycho in there, he is going to kill the dogs. He’s just knocked my teeth out.”
Munslow stripped off and went to bed after carrying out the attack and was so comatose that he did not wake up as police first hammered at his door and then broke it down.
Officers found him naked under a duvet with his two dogs on top of him. He denied causing the injuries and claimed Ms Goodwin had been fine when she left his flat after an argument.
Munslow, aged 26, now of no fixed address, denied assault causing actual bodily harm but was found guilty at a trial in March.
He was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years, sent on a Building Better Relationships course, and ordered to do 17 days of rehabilitation activities and three months of drug rehabilitation.
She told him she was suspending the sentence because it is his first offence of any kind as an adult and that he had been assessed as suitable for rehabilitation by probation.
She told him: ‘You are said to have immature thinking. In early childhood you suffered serious trauma and witnessed substance abuse and maternal absence. It has resulted in you misusing substances.
‘There is reference in the probation report to your use of cannabis, which is recognised as being a maladaptive coping strategy. You also had a really severe instance of mental health difficulties.’
The judge made a five-year restraining order banning any contact with the victim.
During the trial, Mr Brian Fitzherbert, prosecuting, said Munslow attacked Ms Goodwin after returning from a Torquay United match at around 8.30 pm on October 2, 2021.
Bodycam footage taken by police showed her sobbing hysterically and with blood pouring out of her mouth.
She had been in an on off relationship with Munslow for about a year and had stayed at his flat that day to look after his two pets, an American bulldog and a Staffie.
Munslow gave evidence that he had only drunk two or three pints but had argued with Ms Goodwin because she complained about him coming home later than planned.
He said there had been no violence at the flat and she had no injuries when she left. He said he had no idea how she came to be hurt but that he had not done it.
He explained his own injuries by saying he had been in a play fight with a friend the previous day.
Mr Nigel Wraith, defending, said the attack was short lived, impulsive, no weapon had been used, and had been totally out of character.