Pub Manager Jailed

Toby Goater, 36, subjected his 39-year-old victim, who was known to him, to abuse lasting several hours, which resulted in the woman being branded with a heated fork as she lay unconscious on the floor of the Imperial pub, in Queens Road, Hastings, a Sussex Police spokeswoman said.

Goater was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Hove Crown Court today after pleading guilty to actual bodily harm, perverting the course of justice and false imprisonment in December last year.

He was also given a restraining order preventing him from making contact with both the victim and her daughter, a police spokeswoman said.

Goater, of Queens Road, Hastings, repeatedly kicked and punched the woman over several hours in the lounge of the pub where he was employed as the manager, a police spokeswoman said.

When Goater was arrested at 5am on June 14 last year he denied the offences and tried to destroy vital CCTV from inside the pub which had recorded the attack, the spokeswoman added.

But detectives recovered the evidence and Goater was re-arrested in September 2011 for perverting the course of justice.

Detective Constable Brett White, from Hastings Adult Protection Team, said: ``Justice has been served today and it is right that Goater, who committed these crimes against a defenceless woman and, who I believe, is a danger to women, received a custodial sentence.

``The victim's brave decision to report her ordeal to Sussex Police in the first instance, fully co-operate and stay with the investigation from start to finish has resulted in today's positive outcome.

``I hope that this sends out the message that victims of domestic abuse are not alone and Sussex Police will support, investigate and seek to bring offenders to justice.

``I would like to thank the both the victim and her daughter, and I really hope that today's result will help them move on with their lives.''

Speaking after sentencing, his victim said: ``I am so glad that Sussex Police has secured a conviction against Toby Goater and that he will serve time behind bars.

``I don't know if I will ever be able to get over what has happened to me. I bear both the physical and mental scars from my ordeal.''