by Paul Hooper

A teenager who ambushed his pregnant ex-girlfriend by firing stones from a catapult at a car she was in has been sent to a young offender's institution.

Daniel Brown, 19, of Willesborough, smashed the window of a car in which Jessica Crump and her mother were travelling, showering them with glass.

Both women were injured in the attack in November 2010, which happened after the bullying teenager ordered Ms Crump to leave Ashford or he would 'cut' her.

And within days of the attack, Jessica has suffered a miscarriage.

But as the shocked Brown was taken away to start a nine-month sentence, a member of his family - believed to be his mother - screamed at the female judge: "How can you do that? Have you got children? How would you feel?"

The judge, Recorder Heather Norton told Brown, formerly of Calland, Smeeth, that a probation report concluded that he was "someone prone to manipulate and control".

Prosecutor James Bilsland told Canterbury Crown Court how Ms Crump had been pregnant at the time and carrying his baby.

During the evening the couple argued after the "controlling" Brown demanded to see her mobile phone.

He then said he would challenge custody of the child and ordered his girlfriend to leave town, Mr Bilsland said.

Jessica called her mother for a lift, but as the two drove away Brown was lying in wait and as they passed a corner, a missile struck the passenger side car window shattering the glass over the two terrified women.

The judge told Brown: "You were lying in wait and jumped them. You were armed with a catapult. You used it to fire stones at the car.

"One of the pieces of glass cut just one centimetre above Ms Crump's eye 'slightly lower and the resultant injury could have been considerably more serious.

"It is no thanks to you that the injuries these women sustained were relatively minor. I am told that Ms Crump is now petrified of you."

Brown had denied assault and damaging property, but was found guilty by a jury.

The judge said that a probation report on him made reference to other incidents with another partner.

She said: "That report concludes that you are controlling and manipulative and while I make it absolutely clear that I am only sentencing you on the matters involving Ms Crump and her mother, nothing in this report dispels the conclusion that you do seek to control through fear.

"This was an offence by you which was carried out with premeditation.

"You sought to intimidate your victim, who you knew at the time was pregnant."

Speaking after the case, Jessica Crump said she was heartbroken to suffer a miscarriage so soon after the attack.

The former Christ Church High School pupil, 23, of Stanhope, said she was told by doctors the stress of the incident caused her to lose her baby, the father of whom was Brown.

Miss Crump said: "The bleeding started four days after I left hospital. The doctor said it was the stress of it all. I was eight weeks along."

And she told of the fear on that fateful day, when she saw the look on her ex-boyfriend's face.

She said: "He had this look on his face, which has always frightened me. I knew he was going to do something.

"As we drove past we heard something hit the back window and then I saw him throw a rock and it hit the back passenger window.

"My mum put the car in reverse and then the window just shattered.

"It hit me above my eyebrow. I don't remember the impact. I just remember the crunch, the sound of it hitting my skull.

"Then I was just covered in blood. I thought I was blind until I wiped my eyes. There was so much blood."

Miss Crump said she was relieved Browne had been locked up: She said: "If he didn't get a custodial sentence he would have won, so hopefully now he'll learn not to go and do it again."