Wokingham man in court for breaking 'vulnerable' wife's leg

Frank Sier, 81, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Monday (May 22) for fracturing his partner’s femur on May 20 last year after a ‘tussle’.

The court heard she needed to undergo surgery and also suffered from bruising to her face and upper arm.

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Sier, of Lupin Ride, Wokingham, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months for once count of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Prosecuting, Michael Speak said there was a ‘tussle’ between the pair before she fell down and fractured her femur.

The daughter of the married pair wrote a witness statement to the court expressing her mother’s ‘considerable distress’ following the surgery due to the stress of having undergone a recent hip replacement operation.

However, Mr Speak described the incident as an ‘unusual case’ as the pair still live together and the victim did not wish for police to pursue the case.

He said: “They have been living together thus resuming their 30-year relationship and she goes on to say she’s in her 80s and is understandably not as quick on her feet or as strong as she used to be.

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“She goes on to say she’s very dependant on the defendant and doesn’t know how she would manage without him.

“[However], there has been other incidents over the years which have caused the relatives considerably concern.”

Defending Sier, his counsel said the man has mental health issues including ‘serious depression and anxiety going back to 1997’.

She said: “That alongside the defendant own childhood experiences, his age and the affect of covid on him all feed into his behaviour and why he has been short-tempered, upset and ultimately aggressive towards the victim.

“He accepts that physically, yes, she is very vulnerable which is perhaps why we have this charge in front of us, the injury may not have been so serious [otherwise].

“She chooses t be with him in full capacity. He vehemently denies assaulting her in the past but he does accept at times being short tempered.”

Judge Sarah Campbell said she was ‘just prepared’ to suspend the sentence. She said the victim’s desire for police to drop the case must be balanced with information available about the relationship.

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 She also ordered that Sier must complete 25 rehabilitation days and spend 12 months completing mental health treatment.

There was also an order for £350 in court costs.