Justin Chilvers: Likely to lose his job after ‘nasty’ assault

A PARAMEDIC who assaulted a woman appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Mar 15).

30-year-old Justin John Chilvers, who now lives in Reading, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge and arrived at Haverfordwest Law Court prepared for a trial, however pleaded guilty at the last minute.

The court heard that on October 22 last year, Chilvers had gone out in the evening with a female, along with eight other friends, who all consumed alcohol.

Prosecuting, Vaughan Pritchard- Jones, said that Chilvers had over ten pints that night, and is also on anti-depressants. The complainant said she had over a bottle of wine and five double vodkas.

Mr Pritchard-Jones explained: “This was a nasty assault. It was around 3-4am, the morning after their night out. There was a lock in at the RAFA Club in St Davids. The defendant became involved in a confrontation with another man, and the complainant and one other person ended up outside.

“Chilvers asked the complainant to walk away, but she didn’t want to because she had left her bag inside. However, she walked down an alleyway with him.”

Mr Pritchard-Jones went on to say that Chilver started ‘having a go’ at the victim, saying she hadn’t supported him when he had been confronted in the nightclub, and she just ‘stood by’.

“The next thing she remembers,” said Mr Pritchard-Jones, “he pushed her hard and she fell to the ground. He kicked her to the leg and upper body, and she felt a number of blows coming in, but she couldn’t say where they were coming from or what they were with.”

He continued: “She was pulled back up to her feet and they moved further down the alleyway. He pushed her over again, and he got on top of her, placed his hands around her neck and began to strangle her.”

The court heard that the victim said when Chilvers stopped, he looked like he was in ‘complete shock’, as if he ‘couldn’t believe what he had done’.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said she then started walking in front of him back to the club, and when she got a bit of distance between them, she ran. He ran after her, and rugby tackled her to the floor, causing grazing injuries.

It was at that point that people came out of the RAFA Club and the assault stopped.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “The defendant admitted putting his hand around her throat, and said he did it inside the pub to bring her outside for her own protection. He admitted kicking but only once.”

Photographs of the victim’s injuries were shown to the court, which depicted multiple bruises on both sides of her neck, her shoulder and her leg.

Mr Pritchard-Jones described these as ‘nasty’ bruises.

The victim’s statement was read out to court, in which she said she now feels too scared to go out after dark. Her mother has had to take two weeks off work to support her, and her father has also had to have time off.

She said she feels worried and anxious, and has difficulty sleeping. However, she said she wishes Chilvers ‘all the best’, and hopes he ‘learns from his mistakes and has a good life’.

Speaking in Chilvers’ defence, Paul Gilmartin told the court that Chilvers was attacked by three men that night before this incident, which was an unprovoked attack. He claimed that the victim had tried to intervene, and Chilvers got hold of her and ‘pulled her out’.

He also said that after the assault, when she decided to go back to the club, Chilvers felt she shouldn’t have gone back ‘for her own good’, which is why he brought her ‘to the ground’.

Mr Gilmartin said: “He accepts full responsibility and shouldn’t have behaved in that way. Chilvers has come from a very difficult family. Other members of his family have found themselves on the wrong side of the law, but Chilvers has taken a different path. But, his past was there to catch up with him.”

He also told the magistrates that Chilvers will now likely lose his job as a paramedic, and is contemplating joining the military.

After being asked to choose a financial penalty rather than a community order or custodial sentence, the chair of the bench said: “We have taken an unusual step of not going for reports.

“We consider this a category two offence, which is very serious. This is quite tragic. You will probably lose your job. You as a paramedic must have seen the effects of alcohol and drugs.”

Chilvers was ordered to pay a £720 fine, £72 victim surcharge, £350 prosecution costs, and £1,000 compensation to the victim.

A restraining order was also imposed, which restricts Chilvers from contacting the victim directly or indirectly, or entering Pembrokeshire at all.