A man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his part in a horrific attack where a woman had a knife held to her throat and her head was held under water at a Midhurst pond.
The victim was in fear of her life and only the intervention of a passer-by halted the assault, Chichester Crown Court heard.
Emerson Flowers (28) was on a 'cocktail of drink and drugs' when he went to Louise Parsons' father's flat near the car pa
rk in Grange Road, Midhurst, on April 26 this year.
He and a woman accomplice, who cannot be identified, asked where her father was.
After 'smashing up' the flat the couple took a terrified Miss Parsons to South Pond where a knife was held to her throat. She was repeatedly punched and kicked and was thrown into the pond.
She had her held head under the water for a 'significant amount of time'. One of the pair stamped on her hand which caused a fracture to her right little finger.
The attack stopped only when a brave member of the public, who was with his wife and two children at the time, shouted out for the offenders to leave her alone. One of the pair replied: "She's a grass, she deserves it."
Flowers pulled a knife from his pocket and stared at the concerned member of public, before fleeing from the scene.
Miss Parsons was taken to hospital that evening and was treated for her fractured finger.
She had bruising to the bridge of her nose and to her sternum and lower back. The victim is now taking anti-depressants.
After being arrested Flowers, of Hawthorn Close, Midhurst, claimed he was eating fish and chips at the time of the attack.
The court heard how he made a call to police before carrying out the attack.
Judge Claudia Ackner said: "You took the law into your own hands and
subjected the victim to a violent and traumatic ordeal.
"She was thrown into the pond and held under water for a significant amount of time causing her real fear for her life.
"The member of public should be commended for intervening but your response was to stop and stare at him with a knife.
"You were under the influence of drugs and alcohol and had a serious drink and drugs problem."
The court heard how Flowers had a previous conviction for common assault in 2006, where he hit an ex-partner in front of her children.
He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for causing actual bodily harm and was given a six-month sentence for affray, which will run concurrently with the other sentence.
He has spent 199 days in custody and that will be counted towards the
sentence. After the prison term he will be released on licence.
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