A man has now admitted carrying out a sustained attack on his partner, as well as assaults on two police officers in a separate incident.

David James Francis, who has been on remanded in Durham Prison, was told he should expect to receive a custodial sentence when he next appears at the court, next week.

Francis previously denied a charge of wounding his partner at the time with intent to do her grievous bodily harm, in an incident at the woman’s home in Bishop Auckland, late on March 8.

The victim suffered fractured and dislocated ribs, internal chest bleeding and a displaced fracture of the calf bone.

Read more: Bishop Auckland man denies wounding woman with intent

A trial date was set during last month, but that hearing did not take place, and the case was back before Durham Crown Court today, when the 36-year-old defendant repeated his not guilty plea to the same charge, but he did plead guilty to the slightly lesser offence of unlawful wounding.

That plea was accepted by prosecuting counsel Paul Newcombe.

Francis also admitted two charges of assaulting an emergency worker, two police officers, who were bitten in an incident in Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland, outside the town’s hospital, late on December 2 last year.

Judge James Adkin adjourned sentence on the defendant to allow the prosecution time to acquire an impact statement from the victim of the domestic attack.

The judge also wants a report from the defendant’s Probation Service offender manager as to how he is faring on a suspended sentence order passed at the court for an offence of dangerous driving.

Read more: Four County Durham criminals hauled before Durham Crown Court last week

Adjourning sentence for a week, Judge Adkin told Francis: “You have now pleaded guilty to the outstanding charges you faced and you’ll get a reduction on sentence to reflect that.

“There are one or two loose ends that need to be tied up but you will be sentenced on Monday, August 22, and you should expect to receive a custodial sentence.”

The defendant, of Elm Terrace, Coronation, near Bishop Auckland, was remanded to remain in custody pending next week’s sentencing hearing, at which he will again appear via video link to the court.

Read next: 

                County Durham offender on suspended sentence reaches 'the end of the line'

                Jailing of man for prolonged attack among cases sentenced at Durham Crown Court in recent days

                Man pushed woman over in row at her Darlington home

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