A MAN who became aware his partner was seeing someone else took out his fury on that man in a prolonged attack outside her home.

John Wardle later tailgated and rammed a car driven by his now ex-partner, containing the same man, leaving the vehicle a write-off.

Wardle’s two acts of anger have now cost him a four-year prison sentence, his first taste of life behind bars.

Durham Crown Court was told cctv in a residential street in Stanley caught some of the first incident, at about 8.25pm on December 23, last year.

The victim was seen walking on the pavement when a vehicle approached and a figure, Wardle, was seen running up to him.

Dan Cordey, prosecuting, said Wardle grabbed the man’s arm and held it round his neck, bending him forwards maintaining a choke-hold, before knocking him to the ground, sitting on top of him and punching him about 30 times, without being offered any resistance.

Wardle then got to his feet and kicked the victim a couple of times, while he lay prone on the ground.

Mr Cordey said Wardle’s parting shot was to throw a can at the unconscious man’s head before he drove off, leaving the victim to be tendered to by a member of the public who rang the police.

He was taken to hospital for treatment for multiple facial lacerations and undisplaced fractures, but he did not require any operations.

Mr Cordey said Wardle had not been arrested for the assault by the time of the second incident, on January 16, when he drove into the same street.

Fearing some kind of altercation, his former partner, who was in her car with her new boyfriend, drove off towards Stanley Police Station, but with Wardle driving almost to touching distance behind her car.

As she reached the police station the defendant deliberately rammed into her vehicle, causing significant damage, before getting out and being abusive to her, struggling as police applied handcuffs.

He was later interviewed about both incidents and made no comment.

Mr Cordey said the woman’s vehicle, worth £5,700, was left a write-off.

She said that even though her ex-partner had been arrested she was left fearful and anxious as a result of the incidents.

Wardle, 32, of Roche Court, Washington, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and dangerous driving.

Chris Morrison, in mitigation, said the background to both incidents was the breakdown of the relationship.

On the day of the first incident Wardle’s dog was taken to the vets in a seriously ill condition and he range his partner seeking a sympathetic response, but was taken aback not to receive one, and so went to her home.

While sitting in his car outside her home, having had no response to further messaging, he saw the door open and the victim of his subsequent assault emerge.

“There was no attempt to attend her address and use violence,” said Mr Morrison.

“He had no idea at all she was entertaining another relationship.

“He admits he then responded to what he saw as an act of duplicity.

“He’s not a violent man by nature and very lightly convicted, having never been in custody before.

Read more: Billingham man attacked ex-partner in a drunken rage

Mr Morrison said the defendant, who worked until recently as a delivery driver, has a, “strong work ethic”, and has kept himself busy taking on duties while on remand in custody.

Judge James Adkin described the attack as, “persistent” in which Wardle left his victim unconscious in the street, while, as with the dangerous driving incident, he was, “motivated by jealousy.”

He imposed a four-year prison sentence and a three-year driving ban, as well as making a deprivation order of Wardle’s green Ford Focus.

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