THESE are just some of the people who have been jailed at Teesside Crown Court for carrying out violent attacks since January this year.

The level of violence used in some of these brutal assaults has had a life-long impact on some of the victims while others have been fortunate not to suffer lasting damage.

 

HEAD KICK

A MAN who kicked his prone victim to the head ‘with all his might’ has been jailed for three years.

Connor Gent accepted he joined in the brutal attack ‘like an idiot’ when the man was chased down an alley following a row over money.

The violent attack was launched after the victim was asked for some cash he was accused of owing to Gent's co-accused before attempting to run away, the court heard.

The chase and its violent aftermath was caught on CCTV in the Queen Street area of Redcar on April 30 last year.

The Northern Echo: Connor GentConnor Gent

The victim suffered a fractured skull and left knee cap as a result of the attack.

In a victim impact statement the man said he was now unable to enjoy 'banter' when he goes out in case he is attacked again.

Gent, of Wharton Street, Skelton, east Cleveland, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent following the violent confrontation.

The court heard how the 22-year-old’s co-accused is already serving an 18-month prison sentence for the role he played in the violent attack after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

 

KNUCKLEDUSTER USED

TWO men who forced their way into their victim’s home before launching a violent attack on him has been jailed.

Thomas Boyne, armed with a knuckleduster, punched the man to the face several times causing cuts to his forehead and eyebrow during the short-lived assault.

His partner in crime, Thomas Blackburn, threw several punches at the victim while he was pinned to the sofa after pushing the man’s girlfriend out of the way.

The pair burst into the property in Northallerton at around 7pm on February 19 last year, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The reason for the violence was not revealed in court but the judge heard Boyne has a lengthy list of convictions, including one for possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear.

The Northern Echo: Thomas BoyneThomas Boyne

Boyne, of HMP Holme House, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following the incident on February 19 last year.

His co-accused, Blackburn, of White Rose Way, Thirsk, pleaded guilty to the same charge but had no previous convictions.

The Northern Echo: Thomas BlackburnThomas Blackburn

Boyne, 29, was jailed for seven years while his 22-year-old co-accused Blackburn was sentenced to four years and eight months in custody.

 

VIOLENT BULLY

A VIOLENT bully who took his partner on a terrifying high-speed chase as he repeatedly assaulted her has been jailed for a total of two years.

Liam Owen carried out a number of other violent attacks on his victim over a four-month period where he bit her on the nose, punched her to the face and slapped her.

The 29-year-old’s actions were described as ‘chaotic, mad behaviour’ by his own barrister when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

Owen pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences in connection with his abusive behaviour to his former partner, including false imprisonment, assault occasioning actual bodily, criminal damage and dangerous driving.

In February last year, Owen attacked his partner in a drug-fuelled rage when he picked her up by her neck and tore her dress.

Three months later he smashed a glass onto his own forehead before hitting her and being abusive.

Owen, of Grantley Avenue, Middlesbrough, also pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving and assaulting an emergency worker when he pushed a police officer into a bush after he abandoned his car following a short police chase in August 2019.

The Northern Echo: Liam OwenLiam Owen

Judge Paul Watson QC told the defendant his offending warranted a custodial sentence.

"In early 2020 you were making her life an absolute misery," he said. "Had it not been for the references of the prison staff, which I have read and I have to say were impressive, the sentence would have been far worse than it has been today."

Owen was also banned from driving for 22 months and made subject of an indefinite restraining order to protect his former partner.

 

HAMMER ATTACK

TWO women who carried out a violent, sustained attack using a hammer and scissors – which left their victim covered in blood – have been jailed.

Christina Youll and Amanda Donoghue launched the vicious assault after a simmering feud erupted into extreme violence.

The friends had spent the evening drinking and smoking cannabis at a house party in Middlesbrough when a neighbour arrived to join in the fun.

The Northern Echo: Christina YoullChristina Youll

Within minutes of his arrival the victim was battered with a hammer by Youll before they both started kicking and stamping on the man.

As he lay on the ground covered in blood Donoghue grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed in the leg twice.

Teesside Crown Court heard how they then dragged the man to his nearby home and banged on the door to get in but his partner saw him covered in blood and called the police.

The Northern Echo: Amanda DonoghueAmanda Donoghue

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said forensic analysis of blood found on the footwear of Youll showed she had kicked him when he was already bleeding from his injuries.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Paul Watson QC jailed both women, of Wynyard Mews, Hartlepool, for 16 months.

 

PUB GLASSING

A VIOLENT thug who smashed a glass into the face of a man during a drunken night out has been jailed for the brutal attack.

Nathan Graham launched the assault on the man as simmering tensions spilled over into violence.

The 27-year-old left his victim with injuries to his face and narrowly avoided causing damage the man's eye after hitting him whilst holding a beer glass in his hand.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Graham was drinking in Sapphires bar on Newport Road in Middlesbrough, which is a popular venue on the LGBT club circuit, when the incident occurred on January 4 last year at around 9pm.

Graham was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm but eventually pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful wounding.

Judge Stephen Ashurst jailed Graham, of Hurworth Close, Stockton, for 20 months.

He said: "He was struck by you, in truth, for no reason and you know that. You let you temper get the better of you and you struck out.

"You may have forgotten you had the glass in your hand but what makes this serious in the sensitive area of the body where he suffered the blow."

 

PUB VIOLENCE

A DRUNKEN row in a late night bar left one young woman with facial injuries after a glass smashed into her face when it was thrown at her.

A fight erupted in the outside drinking area of Harvey's Late Bar in the early hours of the morning when two groups of drinkers clashed.

CCTV footage from the incident was shown to the judge at Teesside Crown Court when Courtney Corrie appeared to be sentenced for unlawful wounding.

During the melee in the Darlington town centre bar, the victim was involved in a confrontation with another woman before punches were thrown and the violence escalated to the glass being smashed into the woman's face.

Sam Faulks, prosecuting, said the victim suffered lacerations to her face which would leave a lasting scar.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had hoped her attacker would have shown some remorse but had heard how she had been bragging about the attack.

Corrie, of Thomas Court, Darlington, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding following the attack on April 4, 2019.

Judge Recorder Nathan Adams sentenced Corrie, 23, to eight months in custody, suspended for 12 months, and ordered her to observe a curfew between 8pm and 6am for four months.

 

LOVE TRIANGLE

A TRANSGENDER woman stabbed two men in a jealous rage after finding them in a ‘compromising position’.

Susan Cuthbert flew into a drink and drug fuelled rage when discovered a former partner being intimate with her current partner.

One of the victim's spent 22 days in hospital but has still to fully recover from the injuries he suffered last September, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said Cuthbert had been in a brief sexual relationship with a man, who goes by the name of "Gemma" but it fell apart on New Year's Eve 2019.

She then introduced 'Gemma' to her next door neighbour who she was having a sexual relationship with.

Trouble flared when her two lovers then got together in the Brotton High Street home of one of the victims.

In police interview, Cuthbert said she had "caught them at it but had little recollection of what had actually happened.

The Northern Echo: Susan CuthbertSusan Cuthbert

Cuthbert, of High Street, Brotton, east Cleveland, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced her to five years and four months in custody at a male prison.

"You introduced both men and they it seems became close. Naturally there became some tension," he said.

"Whatever had taken place had made you angry, the argument it seems became more than an argument, it became violent."

 

HEAD INJURIES

A MAN who drank around eight pints before throwing a baby into the air and dropping it on its head causing catastrophic injuries has been jailed.

Ryan Marsh admitted causing the injuries to the boy when he was looking after the baby.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the youngster suffered a bleed on the brain which has left him suffering from epilepsy and needing to be fed through a tube.

The 24-year-old initially denied causing the injuries but following his and his father's arrest he eventually owned up to his behaviour.

The baby was taken to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough before being transferred to the Great North Childrens Hospital where he remained in a critical condition for almost a week.

The boy's mother told the court of the devastating impact the injuries had caused for her son and her fears for the future.

In a hearbreaking victim personal statement she said: "I have been told his condition will affect him into adulthood and I often hear the worst case scenario for him but I do feel positive for him and do hope that he will be capable of doing things for himself.

"I genuinely don't know what the future holds for him. Naturally I have been affected by this, my life is not what I expected it to be. I know he will be more reliant on me than ever."

The Northern Echo: Ryan MarshRyan Marsh

Marsh, of Brockrigg Court, Guisborough, pleaded guilty to assaulting the young child.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Marsh to two years and four months in prison.

 

'F***ing lunatic'

A VIOLENT offender has been jailed for life for stabbing a man five times with a ‘Rambo’ knife when Christmas Day celebrations descended into chaos.

Luke Cashman branded the judge a 'f***ing lunatic' as he was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court for wounding with intent.

The violence erupted when Cashman was visiting his mother’s home and he became involved in a confrontation with two men he didn’t want there as he was with his partner and their young son.

The court heard how the defendant left the house to grab a knife from his car before returning and stabbing his victim five times – twice in the back outside the house on Dinsdale Road, Hardwick, Stockton.

Cashman, 31, of Mowbray Grove, Stockton, was initially charged with attempted murder but admitted a lesser charge in court of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Christmas Day 2019.

The Northern Echo: Luke CashmanLuke Cashman

Caroline Goodwin QC, mitigating, said she accepted the incident was a 'shocking offence' but had been concerned about the two men being under the influence and drugs.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Cashman to life in prison with a minimum term of eight years in jail.

The sentence prompted a foul-mouthed outburst from the defendant who shouted 'Are you mental mate? Have you read the f***ing facts? He's a f***ing lunatic."

 

VIOLENT CRIMINAL

A VIOLENT man who punched and kicked his innocent victim shouted abuse at the judge as he was handed an 18-month prison sentence.

Paul Leather reacted angrily when Recorder Nathan Adams told him he was heading straight to custody for the unprovoked attack in February last year.

The 33-year-old, who will now miss the birth of his child, shouted 'my wife is out there pregnant, mate. Everything I have worked for you have just thrown away – you're having a laugh'.

Judge Recorder Nathan Adams remained silent during the barrage of abuse which could still be heard as security officers removed him from the dock at Teesside Crown Court.

Sentencing Leather, Judge Adams said: "This was an incredibly serious matter and there is no way to avoid that. This was fuelled by drink and Class A drugs, this was a sustained serious assault on a member of the public.

"It was a punch to the ground and if it had stopped there maybe something could have been said for keeping you out if prison but you didn't stop there."

The Northern Echo: Paul LeatherPaul Leather

Leather, of Derwent Road, Saltburn, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm after causing a laceration to the victim's nose and chipping his teeth.

 

ROAD-RAGE ATTACK

A KICKBOXER who launched a violent, unprovoked attack during a road-rage incident has been jailed for 22 months.

Matthew Brady tailgated Brian Sowerby at high speeds before punching and kicking his victim unconscious leaving him with a fractured jaw.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the victim's daughter was working at Darlington Memorial Hospital and saw her father's serious facial injuries.

The court heard how Brady was flashing his lights at his victim as they travelled at 70mph along the A66 before the defendant threw a wine bottle at the victim's car as he overtook him before slamming his brakes on as he pulled in front of him.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Sowerby said what happened that day on January 3 last year 'still haunts' him.

He said: "We had a good day out fishing and it then turned into an absolute nightmare for me and something I didn't think I will ever forget.

"It has affected me in more ways than I could ever imagine – financially, mentally and physically."

Brady, of Windmill Terrace, Stockton, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving.

Judge Recorder Simon Jackson jailed the 21-year-old for 22 months and banned him from driving for 23 months.

"You are somebody who has an expertise in martial arts and you struck this complainant in a particular way to knock him to the ground knowing that was vulnerable point which allowed you to do that," he said.

 

DRUNKEN THUG

A DRUNKEN thug who bit a chunk out of another man's ear during a street brawl has been jailed.

Phillip Lodge latched onto his friend's ear and ripped a piece off while they were rolling around on the ground after a boozy session descended into violence.

The 39-year-old had spent the evening drinking with friends outside his Darlington home before getting into an argument with his victim, Teesside Crown Court heard.

After initially going back to his own home, the defendant then returned to the street to continue the argument which soon erupted into a street brawl at 8am on April 18.

Sentencing Lodge to three years in prison, Recorder Nathan Adams said: "You had all been drinking together the day before, indeed you had all been having a good time, the drinking continued into the night.

"It's quite clear that an argument started and that was broke up but in the early hours of the following morning you decided to go back and the argument continued. It spilled out into the street and went from an argument into violence.

"You accept you started with the first push and matters escalated into a fight and it is quite clear, that despite efforts to break it up, it continued.

"The scuffle escalated when you decided to use your teeth as a weapon and to bite down extremely hard on the victim's ear.

"The single bite tore off a large part of his ear and you spat it out on the street."

The Northern Echo: Phillip LodgePhillip Lodge

Lodge, of Hamsterley Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent following the fight in April this year.

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