Violent offender Benjamin Blair, from Calcot and Burghfield area, jailed for attack on friend

A VIOLENT thug battered a woman who had been trying to care for him, while his friends looked on and laughed.

Benjamin Blair already had a history of violence when he attacked her, Reading Crown Court heard on Friday, April 11.

The 38-year-old, said to be of no fixed address but who has links to Burghfield, Calcot and Tilehurst, had asked Sherry Fowler to keep his bank cards safe to prevent him going on a binge.

Hassan Baig, prosecuting, said Ms Fowler had been at work on the day in question when Blair began bombarding her with calls.

He added: “She finished her shift and was going home when the defendant came up to her.

“He came towards her, shouting, and struck her several times.

“There was a punch to her jaw and he stamped on her foot… she fell to the floor.”

Blair then snatched her phone from her, the court heard.

Mr Baig went on: “He then went back to his car; she noticed several occupants in the car were laughing.”

Blair was arrested but declined to answer police questions.

He admitted assault by beating and theft of a iPhone, both on November 12 last year.

Blair also has more than 50 previous convictions for offences including robbery, causing grievous bodily harm, assault, affray and assault causing actual bodily harm.

Nadia Chbat, defending, said: “This is a very sad situation.

“They were really close for a number of years and she was clearly trying to help him by keeping his bank cards safe from him for when he got drunk and would be impulsive.

“That was the setup between them.”

On this occasion, she said, Blair was “clearly intoxicated and intent on getting his bank card back for his own use.

“It’s most regrettable; Mr Blair is very sad he has caused her to be so upset.”

She conceded her client has been “in and out of prison” and, indeed, had been in custody awaiting sentence for these latest offences since last November.

The judge, Recorder Alexander McGregor, noted that Blair had been drunk at the time but said: “Alcohol isn’t an excuse – it’s actually an aggravating factor.”

He said he took into account that Blair had spent months in prison awaiting sentence.

He jailed Blair for two months – meaning he has already served that time and would be freed.

In addition, Recorder McGregor made him subject to a five-year restraining order to protect Ms Fowler.

No order was made for costs but Blair was required to pay a statutory victim services surcharge.