The man can’t stop biting his girlfriends and he did it again at the Range

The 19 year old, from Latham Avenue Newton-le-Willowsthen punched her in the face before grabbing her by the jacket, pulling her towards him and biting her twice on either side of the neck. She started bleeding, but suffered only “relatively minor” injuries.

Ms McCarthy reported Skeech’s behavior to police on February 21 after receiving a message from him saying: “I will come find you and kill you”. In a statement read to the court on her behalf, she said: “My mental health deteriorated after the incident. I didn’t leave my house. My fear was high and I was terrified that I would encounter Zach again and something like this. It could happen again, or worse.

“Now that I have received support, I have moved on with my life. I look forward to a positive future with my baby. I now feel like I am getting back on track.”

Skeech’s actions put him in breach of a community order he was given in December 2023 for two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an imitation firearm in a public place and a malicious communications offence. This conviction related to his then 17-year-old girlfriend, with whom he had a relationship in February 2023.

The court heard the couple had been in a park in Newton on February 20 that year when he punched his girlfriend in the face ‘without provocation’. Skeech then punched her in the bicep approximately six times and bit her.

He also allegedly shot her with a BB gun during another incident in April 2023. The teen left her a Snapchat voice message on May 24, saying, “I’m going to say this one time. My sister, come here. I’ll get my family and we’ll all stab you.”

Meanwhile, another person was heard in the background saying, “we all know where you live.” Skeech failed to complete any community service or rehabilitation activity imposed on him as part of this sentence, while also never commencing any mental health treatment he was required to undergo.

Paul Wood, defending, told the court his client had been in custody for more than eight months since his last attack on a partner, adding: “That would be the equivalent of a significant sentence in any case. Regardless of his age, he is an immature person in my respectful submission.

“He had a remarkably disrupted and traumatic childhood. He described his mother as emotionally unavailable. She was a victim of domestic violence. He witnessed that. He describes his relationship with his mother as very bad. She had mental health, alcohol and drug problems, he says, alcohol and drugs took precedence over her motherhood.

“As for his father, he went to prison for abusing his mother. He was clearly a violent man. He had drinking problems. He has not had any contact with his father since he was thirteen.

“He moved in with his grandparents. He had a particularly close bond with his grandfather, who unfortunately passed away in 2018. His only bright spot is his grandmother. He clearly has a lot of love and respect for her.

“The defendant found education a challenge. He left regular education when he was 11 years old. He says he can read and write at primary school level. He cannot tell what time it is. I don’t say that to embarrass the defendant. bring, but that your glory may know the effect.” level he is at, which is very basic.

“In terms of his mental health, he suffers from depression and anxiety. He has a history of self-harm. He describes symptoms of hearing disturbing voices.

“During quite a long period in custody, which he has found difficult, he has reflected and says he has matured. Essentially, he is a broken young man in many ways.”

Skeech admitted the assault occasioned actual bodily harm, was a malicious communications offense and breached a community order. Appearing via video link at HMP Liverpool, he was given a three-year community order with 150 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days, a program requirement and a mental health treatment requirement.

Sentencing, Judge Denis Watson KC said: “That your behavior towards these two individuals is disgraceful is beyond dispute. You seem to respond with violence to anything that upsets you, including hateful violence. Marking a girl by biting her on the neck is an extremely vengeful and cruel thing to do. I have no doubt that her scars were intended to be visible.

‘I’ve read a lot about you and your background and upbringing. I don’t pretend it’s anything other than unhappy for the most part.

“You very much deserve to be sentenced to custody for the combination of offenses you committed against Molly Mae Cowdry and Grace McCarthy. But Mr Wood has pointed out that – however unappealing it may seem at first glance – the reality is that, by sending you to detention in a youth facility, you would likely be released in the coming weeks, if not sooner, without any structure to support you.

“There would be no help, and help is desperately needed. Contrary to my first instinct, I have been persuaded to consider a community sentence. If you don’t take this opportunity, you will serve a significant penalty of Don’t look for a new girlfriend and threaten and bite her.”

Skeech, who was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting Ms McCarthy for four years, replied: “I’m not going to get a girlfriend when I get out.”