Former ship's captain spanked wife's bottom with deck shoe

A 73-year-old former ship's captain repeatedly slapped his wife on the buttock with a deck shoe. Michael Forwood has been ordered to do unpaid work after pleading guilty to assaulting his wife by beating. Forwood, of Gunnislake, east Cornwall, who has no previous convictions, appeared before Bodmin Magistrates Court. Alison May, for the prosecution, said the couple had been together for 20 years but did not marry until February 2011. Since then there had been difficulties in the relationship. After being away sailing since the end of June, Forwood came home on August 22.

At 8am on August 26, Mrs Forwood, who was wearing a towel following her shower, went into the couple's former shared bedroom, where he was in bed. "Forwood jumped out of the bed and hit her with the shoe on her buttock," said Mrs May. She ended up on the floor lying on her side and when she tried to pull herself up he hit her again with the shoe 10 or 12 times, leaving her shocked and with soreness and reddening. He told her: "It's all your fault; you're causing me sleepless nights." In a victim personal statement referred to in court, Mrs Forwood described her husband as an "emotional bully" and said she felt like she was constantly walking on eggshells.



She also stated that there had been a previous unreported incident involving her husband. When Forwood was interviewed by police he said there had been a breakdown in the relationship and claimed that his wife had been abusive to him and was trying to evict him from his home. He told officers, "I lost my rag", but said he had not hit her hard and had only wanted to shock her. He was horrified by what he had done as a result of a build-up of frustration. Chris Andrews, for the defence, said that Forwood had been a ship's captain for over 20 years, including on ferries, and had been involved in sail training with youths and disabled people.

"The loss of his good character is very embarrassing for him," said Mr Andrews. Forwood had never been in trouble before and disputed that there had been any previous incident of violence against his wife. He was sorry for his actions. After considering a probation officer's pre-sentence report, in which it was said that Forwood presented a low risk of reoffending, the magistrates imposed a 12-month community order on him with 50 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge. Forwood was also handed an 18-month restraining order not to behave in a way which would cause Mrs Forwood harassment, alarm or distress.