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A man boasted that prison was “like a holiday” after carrying out brutal attacks on two former partners. The 26-year-old is facing jail after he subjected his two exes to violent assaults nearly a year apart.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he smashed windows at his first ex’s home before pulling her hair and kicking her as his new girlfriend watched on. And about 11 months later, he assaulted his latest girlfriend who had dumped him by text.

On that occasion, he pushed his fingers in her eye and dragged her by her hair. He then went on to burgle her home and drive off in her hire car. Now Castrey will learn his fate later this month, reports Stoke-on-Trent Live.

Prosecutor Neil Ahuja said the victim of the first set of offences was previously in a relationship with Castrey. She received a call from him at 7.30pm on July 29, 2021 and he said, “Check your windows, I have smashed one”.

She received another call to say another window had been smashed and she returned to her home in St Nicholas Avenue, Norton, to find two windows damaged. Mr Ahuja said: “At 10.50pm she received a call saying his partner wanted to fight her. She said, ‘No’. She had children at the address. However, the defendant and his then-partner attended her address. She went outside. There was an altercation between them.

“The defendant pulled her and grabbed her by her hair. He kicked her to the back. He approached her Kia car and smashed the rear driver’s side window. The damage to the vehicle was estimated at £250. He left together with his partner.”

The court heard the victim suffered grazing and aching to her neck, shoulder and back and two small bald patches where her hair had been pulled out. She also had a black and swollen eye, swelling to her cheek and an aching mouth and tooth.

The woman who had gone with him to that incident was the victim of the next offences on June 20 last year. She has been in an on-off volatile relationship with the defendant for about 12 months and she ended it by text, the court heard.

Mr Ahuja said: “At 6.45pm she was sat in her car in her driveway in High Street, Sandyford, and had her son in with her. The defendant arrived and she locked the doors. He approached the driver’s door and said, ‘I want my stuff and my money’.

“She told him she had taken his bags to his mother’s. He kicked the passenger door causing a dent. She got out of the car to try and stop him from causing any further damage. He took the keys out of the ignition. She attempted to retrieve the keys from him. She reached to try and grab her phone, telling him she was going to call the police. He attempted to grab the phone. There was a struggle between them. He attempted to pull her by her legs.

“She ran and sat in the front passenger seat of his friend’s car. The defendant grabbed her, pulled her legs with force and pushed his fingers into her eyes scratching her left eyelid. He dragged her out of his friend’s BMW and up the pavement by her hair. She loosened her grip on the phone. He removed the phone from her hand and left her on the floor.”

The court heard victim sustained bruising to her eye, as well as bruising and grazes to her body, arms, legs and feet.

Castrey was arrested in Leek and was bailed. But two days later he called his victim’s mum and called her a “grassy cow”. He said, “I am going to **** you over big style. I am coming to your work to make a big scene”.

Mr Ahuja said: “He said he would do a stretch in prison for her. He said it was nothing to him, just a holiday.”

The court heard that at 12.57pm he rang again and made threats to the victim’s mum’s husband. At 1.30pm his ex was home alone when he approached her house with his hood up. Mr Ahuja said: “He used the key to try and open the door. She said she was ringing the police.

“He was seen pushing the door. She described feeling terrified. She ran out of the house, jumped into a neighbour’s garden and hid behind a bush. She heard banging before seeing the defendant get in her hire car and start to drive off. He had taken the keys from inside the house and caused damage to a radio.”

In a victim statement, his ex-partner said she feared for her life. Her mum was also placed in fear because of the threats made to her and her husband.

Castrey, of Tower Square, Tunstall, pleaded guilty to two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm; three charges of criminal damage; theft, burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and putting a person in fear of violence by harassment.

Barry White, mitigating, said Castrey understands he will receive a prison sentence. He said: “He fully accepts what he has done. He is sorry. He is remorseful for what has happened.

“He has been on remand for eight months and has had a lot of time to reflect on his actions. He knows anger is an issue for him. He can identify that alcohol, anger issues and other matters need to be addressed.”

Judge Sally Hancox adjourned sentencing and Castrey will learn his fate on February 20.

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