Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Hours of Physical Abuse of a Pregnant Girlfriend
A guy will spend the rest of his life in prison after repeatedly assaulting his pregnant partner, which included him stamping on her tummy and fetching salt to apply in her wounds.
On Tuesday, April 19, a Georgia court found Joseph English Gregory Newton, 31, guilty of a number of offences, including criminal attempt to commit feticide.
Newton allegedly abused his girlfriend throughout their relationship, including an attack in December 2020, according to Cherokee County prosecutors. Following an altercation, Newton’s girlfriend attempted to leave their shared home, but Newton tracked her down and pulled her back across the driveway and yard by her hair.
The next day, the woman managed to flee, and a family member alerted the authorities. Despite court restrictions prohibiting him from contacting her after he was freed on bond, the couple’s relationship continued.
During his final attack on her on October 10, 2021, he threatened to kill her and their unborn child, escalating the violence. Newton allegedly punched, kicked, and spit on his girlfriend, according to investigators. He strangled her, dragged her by her hair, and beat her with objects from their apartment.
Newton also slammed her head into the ground and stomped on her stomach. He placed salt, sugar, and coffee grounds on her wounds as she was lying on the floor.
She was able to flee once Newton fell asleep, at which point she dialed 911.
She had swollen eyes and lips, slashes on her arms and hands, and neck injuries when authorities discovered her. She had to stay in the hospital for the night. The mother-to-be experienced a subchorionic haemorrhage of the placenta, but the baby was anticipated to live, according to the doctor who checked her.
Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon Wallace said, per Fox 5: “After enduring a brutal assault, this resilient young woman escaped her abuser and called 911 while driving to a safe place. During that call, she described the events that occurred and, for the first time, pleaded for help. Even though Newton beat her for hours, she had the strength and courage to escape—ensuring that she and her baby would survive.”
Newton, who was hiding in their home’s attic, was apprehended by Woodstock police.
The jury returned guilty verdicts on a number of counts, including kidnapping with bodily injury, criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal attempt to commit feticide, family violence aggravated assault, family violence aggravated battery, four counts of family violence battery, family violence simple battery, false imprisonment, sexual battery, two counts of criminal trespass, and tampering with evidence during the two-day trial.
Newton was sentenced to life in prison + ten years in state prison by a judge.
“Tragically, this blame-shifting is something we see often in cases involving domestic violence. Ultimately, the defendant’s final attack led her to call for help—not for herself but for her unborn child. Miraculously, she survived this relationship and our hope is that she continues to heal and thrive.”
