Suspended sentence for man who punched partner in the face

A man who punched his partner in the face has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Jass Bassi met the woman after becoming her social worker and they began a relationship months later. But there was violence throughout the couple’s eight-year relationship including on one occasion when Bassi punched the woman in the face, causing a deformity to her nose.

Bassi’s offending only came to light in 2019 when the victim contacted police to report the historical abuse.

The 63-year-old, of Leamington Close, Derby was charged with five counts of causing actual bodily harm and three counts of causing grievous bodily harm. He denied all of the offences and after a trial at Nottingham Crown Court, he was convicted of one count of causing actual bodily harm.

He appeared at the same court for sentencing on Friday 3 November when he was handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also given a three-month curfew order, a rehabilitation activity requirement and was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work. In addition, Bassi must pay £500 compensation to the victim.

Detective Staff Investigator Jayde Wilson, who led the investigation, said: “This was a violent and unprovoked attack which caused a very painful injury to the victim.

“She continues to suffer with the mental, physical and emotional trauma that Bassi’s offending has caused her.

“I’d like to praise her for her bravery throughout the court case and hope that she can now start to get some closure on this incredibly difficult chapter in her life.

“I’d also like to encourage any other victims of domestic abuse to come forward. It doesn’t matter how long ago the offence occurred, our officers will listen without judgement and we will investigate.”

Domestic abuse can affect both women and men and can occur in same sex relationships. It can be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial.

It can be repeated, random or habitual, and is used to control a partner.

If you're a victim of domestic abuse, or know someone who is, there are a number of ways you can report your concerns:

• Website– We have crime reporting tools on our website: use our online contact form
• Facebook– send us private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• Twitter– direct message our contact centre via @DerPolContact
• Phone – call us on 101

In an emergency, where someone is in danger right now, call 999.

If you’re not ready to report to the police, please reach out for support. There are a number of organisations who can help. Please visit Support organisations for victims of domestic violence | Derbyshire Constabulary for more details.