A pregnant Folkestone woman, who was attacked by her cocaine-fuelled lover has been asked by a judge: “Do you want me to release him?”

Bullying lover Craig Dowie had been held in custody since a series of attacks on his partner and police officers.

Jade Marie Bell – who is expecting the child in May next year – had sat crying in the public gallery at Canterbury Crown Court.

She had listened to how Dowie, 28, had subjected her to several violent attacks “because he wasn’t ready to be a father yet!”

They including holding her in a headlock and restricting her breathing and punching her in the back of the head – as well as smashing items around the home.

One of the incidents included him holding a clenched fist next to his partner’s unborn child and shouting that he was going to kill it.

But astonishingly, Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl called her into the witness box and quizzed her about her relationship after Dowie.

He asked: “What’s the plan? Is he going to come back and live with you?”

Ms Bell: “Yes”

Judge: “Do you feel safe?”

Ms Bell: “Yes... as long as the drinking stops.”

He then let off Dowie – who had admitted nine separate offences including attacking Ms Bell and two police officers – with a community order!

Among the offences were three common assaults on his pregnant partner on August 6, September 22 and October 3.

It culminated in the drunken Dowie angrily storming out of their home in Cavalry Court, Folkestone in a huff over the pregnancy.

And when he couldn’t get back inside, he began kicking windows in until officers arrived.

Then Dowie grabbed a large shard of glass and used a fire extinguisher to smash more windows.

Special police dog and ‘shield’ teams were deployed as he continued to hurl glass at officers.

Prosecutor Ian Foinette said that he then used the fire extinguisher while shouting officers to go away or he would stab them or he would cut his own wrists.

Eventually he demanded a cigarette and as Dowie bent down to collect it – he was tasered by police.

“As a result of his conduct, police were called and arrested him. He was placed in a police van and immediately began to resist arrest after being handcuffed.

“He shouted: “You don’t want me to kick off. I’ll kick off” and then he kicked one of the officers as the police van was heading to police station", added the prosecutor.

Mr Foinette added that he also spat at another officer and received “ a couple of distraction strikes” from officers who tried to calm him down.

Earlier, after an “exchange of words” between Dowie and his lover – the couple had only been together since February - he had placed a clenched fist next to her stomach and threatened to kill the unborn child.

Mr Foinette said: “This was not the first time this defendant had assaulted his partner. Dowie had previously hit and punched Ms Bell.

“Comments were made about her pregnancy and he was to say he was concerned that he was in effect too young to be a father and didn’t particularly want the child.

“He was telling Ms Bell that she should have an abortion, “ he added.

He would later say to officers that he “didn’t feel ready to be a father” and that the pregnancy was unplanned.

Mr Foinette said: “It was quite clear that an air of resentment had built up in this defendant towards Ms Bell. He also admitted that drink was a problem and often took cocaine.”

“She is obviously a great partner and wants you back. Behave yourself” - Judge Van der Bijl

Dowie previous convictions include assaults on police, being drunk and disorderly, racially abusive public order offence, common assault, drugs offences , affray, shoplifting, criminal damage, and two arson attacks.

Kerry Waite, defending, said Dowie is now “appalled by his behaviour” and “shocked and outraged at himself.”

He said Ms Bell had visited her lover while he was being held in prison pending his sentence and had been “in regular contact by letter, phone and prisoner email”.

“They are both working together to renew their relationship and to be reunited - on the one strict condition that he stops drinking.”

Dowie was given a 12 month supervision order where he will receive help with his domestic abuse and alcohol problems. He was also ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work for the community

The judge told him: “She is obviously a great partner and wants you back. Behave yourself.”

• One bizarre aspect of the punch-up was whenDowietold officers:“You guys are under pressure with people like me being drunk and disorderly. So I don’t want to press charges against the police officers!”

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