'They always believe birds': Thug insists he's 'not a horrible person' after battering mother of his kids when she refused to make him a brew

A thug who battered the mother of his children when she refused to make him a brew told a court: "I'm not a horrible person." On another occasion, John Watson, 37, got the woman in a headlock and threw a shoe at her when she didn't respond quickly enough to his request to use her vape.

He told a judge: "I looked after her, I was good to her... but none of that ever gets mentioned." Watson has now been jailed after a court heard details of his 'truly atrocious' criminal record.

Watson, from north Manchester, and the woman had been in a 'troubled' relationship since 2018. They have two children, Manchester Crown Court was told. On November 29 last year, the pair were were at her flat when 'an argument broke out after the defendant asked her to make him a brew," Saul Brody, prosecuting said.

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"When she didn't, he became violent and punched her to the back of the head four times." A neighbour called police and Watson was arrested. He offered no comment and was bailed.

On February 14 this year, police received two 999 calls. The first was abandoned. In the second, his victim asked for police and an ambulance. Watson was heard saying words to the effect of 'what are you on about?'.

Officers found Watson at the woman's flat, in breach of his bail conditions. He was arrested. It was established he had asked to her to use her vape before lashing out.

"When she didn't initially give him it, he lost his temper," Mr Brody said. "He grabbed her face by the nose with an open palm." He also put her in a headlock and threw a trainer at her which.

Watson, of Sherdley Road, Crumpsall, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH); and battery. The hearing was told he has 83 convictions for 159 offences.

The author of a pre-sentence report said Watson told them that 'agencies always believe birds' and 'don't believe men's side of the story'. "Not exactly the best indication of remorse," judge Angela Nield said.

Watson, appearing via videolink from HMP Forest Bank, repeatedly interrupted barristers and the judge during the hearing. He said: "I was with her for years. I looked after her, I was good to her, but none of that gets mentioned.

"Admittedly I have got problems and I should step away and start being a man to my children. It is a bit complicated. I am not a horrible person, I have got remorse. There was a lot going on in my life at that time."

Watson was been a 'troubled young man for a long time' Kevin Liston, defending, said, adding: "This is a complicated relationship between the parties. Drugs and the use of drugs on both sides has blighted the relationship."

Judge Nield sentenced Watson to a year in prison. She told him: "This is clearly a relationship that has been troubled on and off for some time and characterised, on and off, by the use of drugs and alcohol. You originally faced more serious charges but these have not been pursued.

"At 37-years-old you have a quite appalling record of previous convictions. Many of them are of a similar nature to these offences. However, there does not appear to be an escalation in the level of violence committed. The guidelines suggest a level of sentence however your case is significantly aggravated by your record."