A serial attacker with a malicious history of violence against girlfriends has been jailed after angrily mowing down his partner while she was five months pregnant – in full view of their horrified neighbours.

Nicholas James, 35, was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm for driving into his partner, Melissa Watts, in the midst of a heated row outside their home in Yorkshire Road, Mitcham, on October 15.

James, who has 10 previous convictions for violence against three other ex-partners, was apparently angry at Miss Watts’ jealous accusations about having an affair with a barmaid at nearby pub, which prompted James to threaten to report his partner to Merton Council for committing benefit fraud.

Appearing at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday, May 30, Crown Prosecutor, Mr Christopher Stimpson, described how James reversed the grey Volkswagen Golf into a parking space, turned his wheel towards Miss Watts, and drove at her at an estimated 13 mph.

Mr Stimpson said: “He hit her with the front left of his car and, as one witness said, felling her like a dummy.

“She fell under the car... She was five months pregnant at the time. Luckily the baby was saved and is a few months old today. She has some minor markings and pain still today.

“The defendant had in effect asking her or whether she was going to tell the police.

“He was arrested and in interview he said that Miss Watts ran in front of the car. Then in another interview he said it was an accident. Obviously by his guilty plea today that explanation is no longer the case.”

James: “I’m going to make sure your baby dies. I hope you lose your baby.”

Mr Stimpson read out the shocking details of James’s criminal history against ex-partners in the last decade, the most heinous of which when he punched his girlfriend’s pregnant stomach and vowed to kill the baby.

During the incident in June 2007, the court heard how he hit the woman in the stomach, repeatedly punched her in the face and said: “I’m going to make sure your baby dies. I hope you lose your baby.”

A month earlier, James launched a savage attack against the same partner and her mother, who he punched so hard in the face that it left her with a large black eye.

In 2002, he hit another ex-partner twice in the face at a pub, before returning home to pin her to the floor and strike her repeatedly.

Then in 2009, he grabbed another partner by the arm and slapped her in the face with a training shoe.

"He comes from a good family"

Defending James, Mr Gordon Ross said the couple were both alcoholics and each had previous convictions for violence.

Mr Ross said: “It seems to be a feature of their relationship that they were drinking partners. He has been an alcohol dependent for 20 years.

"He comes from a very good family. His father is a quantity surveyor who has two other sons with no problems.

“He drinks huge amounts of alcohol. For the last four years he has been on income benefits registered as an alcoholic.

“It is not suggested that on this day he had been drinking but one of the reasons the arguments was caused he was going to a public house. They had an argument over a bar maid. There was some jealousy.”

One of James's ex-partners' from South Norwood, Croydon, who did not want to be named, described the unemployed ex-telesales worker as a "spoiled little boy" who would beat her even in front of their young daughter.

She said: "He has always been violent and it looks like he's really lost his mind this time.

"He's an animal. Once he knocked me out cold while I was trying to get my daughter in the car.

"He's just a spoiled little boy who used to get money given to him, which he would spend on drink and drugs."

Police: Unborn child lucky to be alive

Trainee Detective Constable Richie Kempshall, who led the investigation, paid tribute to Mitcham residents, some of them teenagers, who helped Merton Police gather the necessary evidence to convict James.

TDC Kempshall said: "The number of members of the community who came forward and were prepared to give evidence for a possible trial really helped us reach a conviction.

"A lot of people witnessed the attack and came forward to offer support to the victim."

Detective Sergeant Grant Donnachie, of Merton Police's Community Safety Unit, said: “This was a particularly malicious and nasty attack upon a young pregnant female who, at the time, was the partner of the accused.

“She was extremely fortunate that much more serious injury was not caused to her and, more importantly, to her then unborn child.

“The sentence imposed by the court reflects the gravity of this individual’s actions and perhaps he will have time to reflect on the anguish and trauma he has caused.”

Merton Police, in partnership with Merton Council, run a weekly 'One Stop Shop' advice surgery for victims of domestic crime at Morden Baptist Church on Mondays from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

To contact Wimbledon police station's Community Safety Unit, call 0208 649 3065.

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