Dangerous driver who attacked partner in street is jailed

Instead of staying out of trouble after speeding away from police and crashing his car last September, Glenn Soffe attacked the terrified woman in public four months later.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Soffe went through three red lights at 70mph, crossing roundabout the wrong way before crashing into a verge and then a crash barrier.

The 30-year-old was jailed for a total of 23 months by Recorder Mark McKone QC, who said of the police chase: “It is a miracle that you and other people were not killed.

“This is a particularly bad example of dangerous driving but your three previous convictions for this and two further for driving while disqualified suggest to me you have no respect for road traffic laws or orders of the court.

“It’s not safe for you to be on the roads.”

Soffe, of Wordsworth Avenue, Balby, was still on bail for the driving offences when he forced his then-partner into his car before driving off, accusing her of cheating on him.

Mr Ayman Khokhar, prosecuting, said Soffe had pulled over and forced the woman to get out of the car.

“He pushed her and said he was going to kick her teeth in,” said the barrister.

“He then punched the complainant twice in the mouth and knocked her down to the floor.

“He punched and stamped on her as she lay on the floor while verballing abusing her.”

The victim, who suffered facial injuries, including a split lip, said in a statement read out in court that she feared for her life and “if he gets the chance, he will kill me one day”.

Miss Jenny Coldham, mitigating, said the couple had since split up.

She said Soffe was remorseful about the attack and had worked to improve his mental health and deal with substance abuse issues since he was in prison.

She said Soffe, who admitted assault, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, had been affected by childhood trauma but “he feels like a different person now”, and urged the judge to suspend any prison sentence.

Recorder McKone said both cases were “too serious to avoid immediate custody” and told Soffe: “Your history has shown you do not comply with court orders and I’ve no reason you want to stop driving while disqualified.”

Soffe was sentenced to nine months for the assault plus 14 months for the driving offences and banned from the roads for two years and 11 months.