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Man Jailed After Attacking Girlfriend And Smashing Up Wedding – Just Because He Didn’t Want To Go

A man attacked his girlfriend and caused £20,000 worth of damage at a wedding – all because he didn’t know anyone there.

Alex Rees, 26, went on a rampage when his partner Tayah Neild insisted he attend the ceremony where she was chief-bridesmaid.

After getting drunk at the do, he pushed his girlfriend into the road by her neck before dragging her into a bush.

He then began thrashing lights and plant pots before returning to the wedding hotel – where he smashed up five cars and smeared excrement on the wall.

Rees was jailed for 16 months at Preston Crown Court.

Incredibly, the court heard that the 26-year-old was spared jail only last year for an “almost identical” offence.

The Inn At Whitewell where the wedding reception was held (SWNS)

Judge Simon Newell told him: “What clearly happened that night is that you, having fallen out with your girlfriend and having certain personal differences about the wedding, rather than taking yourself off, you had too much to drink, assaulted her and caused substantial criminal damage to a number of cars and the wedding premises.

"The consequences involved were not just the damage because damage can be repaired. The hotel can be repaired and cleaned.

"But there’s absolutely no way that the bride and the father of the bride can rectify that wedding day.”

Prosecutor Joseph Allman told the court how Rees had been in a relationship with Miss Neild for around 12 months before they were invited to the wedding of Jason and Laura Blockley.

Mr Allman said: “Prior to the wedding, the defendant was anxious, reluctant to leave his room and said he didn’t want to go to the wedding because he didn’t know anyone.

Rees caused £20,000 of damage at the wedding (SWNS)

Mr Allman said later in the evening, Miss Neild went outside the Inn At Whitewell pub near Clitheroe, Lancashire, where the reception was being held, and asked him to leave.

He said his reaction to was to "push her to the floor by her neck and scream into her face”.

His barrister Mr Wayne Goldstein said: “He is a man who is something of a Jekyll and Hyde.

"He knows he can’t drink. He’s not an alcoholic but he does react in this way.

Speaking outside court, Chris Shakesby, father of the bride Laura, said: "I’m glad that the judge recognised the effect that this had on the wedding.

"It was supposed to be one of the happiest days of our family’s lives and it went from a high to a low in a matter of minutes.

"We arrived back to absolute devastation, it was almost surreal that someone could do something like that.”

Mr Shakesby added that Rees had not apologised until he called out “sorry” from the dock as he was sentenced.