Jail for dad who attacked woman in Rhyl street

Callum MacKay, of Bron y Wern in Bagillt, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday morning via video link from HMP Berwyn.

The 23-year-old had previously admitted a racially aggravated offence of causing grievous bodily harm, as well as controlling and coercive behaviour and criminal damage.

Oliver King, prosecuting, told the court that on August 27 last year Molly Taylor - the victim of the GBH offence - was out socialising with friends in Rhyl.

At about 1 in the morning, after picking up a takeaway, she saw the defendant walking with a another woman, who was her ex partner.

Despite feeling awkward, she approached the pair and the two women spoke - which then developed into a kiss.

An argument began, which led to MacKay getting involved and using a racist slur towards Ms Taylor.

She had no recollection of what followed - remembering only that she came round in the street in a lot of pain.

After the defendant used the slur against her, Ms Taylor struck out at him - with his response being "completely over the top".

It was said that he "went Mike Tyson" and in a "one-sided boxing match" he struck the victim to the head and face ten to 15 times.

A man who looked out of his window and saw the incident said MacKay had struck her "full on" until she hit the floor unconscious.

The court heard when she came round, her face was swollen and she had a split lip.

She was vomiting and appeared to be coughing up blood, Mr King said.

Ms Taylor was taken to A&E, where it was discovered she had a bleed on the brain and a fractured skull.

She was sent to Stoke University Hospital for specialist treatment, but fortunately she required no surgical intervention.

In a statement read to the court, she said: "The hospital wasn't sure if they would have to operate - it was a terrifying situation to be in.

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"I was like a punch bag - I was so scared, it was unreal.

"I thought I was going to die."

The next day, when the defendant was messaged on social media by someone asking about the incident, he claimed he'd been struck "a good five times" by the victim before he "knocked her out."

He said he'd acted in self defence and he thought he'd killed her.

The controlling and coercive behaviour, as well as the criminal damage, relate to the defendant's partner Kym Crosby - with whom he has two children.

They met in high school and became partners in 2015.

Callum MacKay - Image: North Wales Police

The court heard while Ms Crosby conceded MacKay could be "volatile," he usually directed his anger at other people than her.

But over a period of about two years, that changed and in March 2021 he returned home - having apparently been "on a binge" drinking.

He passed out on their young son's bed and when Ms Crosby tried to get him to help with the children he grabbed her hair and headbutted her, causing her to drop her child.

He went away and came back with a machete, which he brandished at her.

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In his basis of plea, the defendant accepts headbutting her once, having a machete and that he was abusive, which would have put her in fear of him.

There were other times when he lost his temper, the court heard, which he took out on Ms Crosby's flat and possessions.

This included slashing the walls with a knife, throwing a speaker into a wall with such force that it left a hole, putting a hole in the bath and throwing a TV on the floor.

On one occasion, after accusing her of cheating on him, he stood over her and punched her legs and shins in a "frenzy."

Sarah Yates, defending, said the injuries caused to Ms Taylor were "undoubtedly very serious."

She said: "This is a young man who has had a very difficult and challenging childhood.

"He hasn't had the best start.

"He was remanded in custody in January and he has used his time properly.

He has started a course and he is doing well.

"He doesn't want to be in the same cycle he has been for a number of years."

Speaking of the wounding, Judge Niclas Parry told the defendant: "You came upon an encounter that was nothing to do with you and you went into an uncontrollable rage because you were under the influence of alcohol.

"Your actions were described as those of a boxer - repeatedly punching your female victim to the head.

"You left her vomiting blood and you believed you'd killed her."

He said the offences against Ms Crosby were "repeated abuse and violence," telling him the volume of domestic related police callouts involving him had been "staggering."

In total, the Judge jailed him for two years and ten months, with an indefinite restraining order imposed to protect Ms Taylor and Ms Crosby.