UK

Irish reality TV star Jeremy McConnell spared jail after assaulting ex-girlfriend Stephanie Davis

Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell arrives at Liverpool Magistrates Court yesterday PICTURE: Peter Byrne/PA<br />&nbsp;
Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell arrives at Liverpool Magistrates Court yesterday PICTURE: Peter Byrne/PA
 
Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell arrives at Liverpool Magistrates Court yesterday PICTURE: Peter Byrne/PA
 

Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell has been spared jail after assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Davis.

Former Hollyoaks star Miss Davis said McConnell had also threatened to throw acid in her face during the drink and drug-fuelled bust-up at her home in Rainhill, Merseyside on March 10.

McConnell, from Swords in Dublin, first met his former partner after they appeared together on Celebrity Big Brother.

He had denied the attack, branding her a “blatant liar”, but was convicted of assaulting Miss Davis, left, mother of his child, during a trial earlier this week at Liverpool Magistrates Court.

On Friday he was sentenced to 20 week's imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and 200 hours


community service.

During the trial, the judge was shown photos of a bruise that Miss Davies said was caused by McConnell biting her arm, as well as extensive bruises to her legs and body.

The defendant called her a “fat slag” during the domestic abuse, the court heard. 

The couple were involved in a well-documented turbulent relationship and clashed again verbally at this week’s court hearing in Liverpool with McConnell laughing at one point as Miss Davis (24) tearfully gave evidence.

The city’s magistrates court heard they had been out for a meal with friends in Liverpool to celebrate Miss Davis’s birthday on March 9 but when they returned home McConnell had left to go to the pub with two of the friends.

Miss Davis said when he got back to the house at about midnight he was “out of it” and had been taking cocaine.

The court was shown photos of a bruise she said was caused by McConnell biting her arm, as well as extensive bruises to her legs and body.

Miss Davis said McConnell began kicking the doors in an attempt to get in.

“I heard him go over the gate, it was literally like a horror film. I just thought, ‘this is it, he’s going to kill me’,” she said.

Miss Davis said she let him in after fearing he would smash the glass patio doors and was thrown on to the bed, punched on the side of the head and then pushed against the wall twice as she held their eight-week-old son Caben-Albi.

McConnell had accused her of having affairs with her pregnant friend and with a fireman who lived nearby, the court was told.

McConnell told the court he was defending himself against Miss Davis, who he said attacked him after learning he had taken cocaine.

He claimed injuries shown in photos were “self-inflicted” and that Miss Davis was aggrieved that he had ended their relationship six weeks ago.

McConnell pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to criminal damage of Miss Davis’s property.

Following his assault conviction he was bailed on condition he did not contact Miss Davis and was told by District Judge Wendy Lloyd that a custodial sentence was a possibility.

On Thursday, Miss Davis revealed on Instagram that she had suffered a miscarriage.