DALE KNAPPETT – BURWELL, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Dale Knappett’s history of violence against women, children and former partners

Dale Knappett, from the Burwell and Mildenhall area, has a documented history of violence, criminal damage, driving offences and incidents involving former partners and children.

One of the most serious attacks took place at the Bird in Hand motel in Beck Row, where Knappett assaulted his partner, leaving her with a fractured cheekbone.

Ipswich Crown Court heard the couple had been in a relationship since September 2010. Following the attack, the victim managed to escape and attended West Suffolk Hospital, where doctors confirmed she had suffered a fractured cheekbone. She later underwent surgery to repair the injury.

Knappett, then aged 28 and living at Mill Park Gardens in Mildenhall, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

He was also made subject to a two-year restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim or going near her home.

His barrister told the court that both had been drinking on the day of the assault. Knappett claimed he kicked open a door because he wanted to speak to her and alleged the injury occurred when the door struck her. He denied punching her.

The conviction was not his first violent offence.

Earlier court proceedings described Knappett as a danger to women following another domestic incident involving a former partner.

During that incident, the court heard Knappett flew into a rage, pinned the woman to the ground, damaged kitchen units, took her vehicle without permission and later left taps running inside the property, causing flooding.

At the time, Knappett was already on bail for another incident involving a previous partner after taking her BMW from outside a pub and crashing it. The court heard he claimed he had been unable to find the vehicle’s light switch.

Knappett admitted aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance and driving without a valid licence.

He also admitted assault, taking a vehicle without consent, driving while disqualified, possessing a lock knife and knuckle duster as offensive weapons, burglary with intent to cause criminal damage and burglary at his mother’s home.

A district judge sitting at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court ruled that Knappett deserved a sentence greater than the maximum 12 months the magistrates could impose and committed him to Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing.

The court heard Knappett had seven previous convictions covering 16 offences, including causing actual bodily harm to a former partner and a battery offence involving a four-month-old baby.

Judge David Cooper told Knappett:

“It seems to me you are a danger to women who have children in the same household. You have no control over your temper at all.”

The judge added that a sentence limited to 12 months would not sufficiently protect the public and ordered Knappett to remain in custody until his Crown Court appearance.

Although the court received a statement from one former partner saying she had forgiven Knappett and was willing to resume the relationship, the judge said this did not lessen the seriousness of the offences.

Separate archived reports also show Knappett, then aged 22 and living in King George Avenue, Exning, denied assaulting two children in Ely. He was due to return to Ely Magistrates’ Court for a pre-trial review. The information provided does not include the outcome of those allegations, so they should not be presented as convictions.

Reports also link Knappett to previous addresses in Exning, Mildenhall and later Burwell, Cambridgeshire.

Taken together, the court reports describe a repeated pattern of violence, intimidation, criminal damage, dangerous driving offences and behaviour involving former partners and households where children were present.

Anyone concerned about a partner’s history of abusive behaviour can apply under Clare’s Law (the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme), which allows police to disclose relevant information where necessary to help protect someone from domestic abuse.