Man bit partner on chin in attack at Shildon home

It was the persistent screams of the victim that alerted a neighbour to the incident, at a house in Shildon, in the early hours of December 12, last year.

Durham Crown Court was told Andrew Hardbottle and his partner put the Christmas decorations up the previous evening and had a few drinks before going to bed.

Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said the defendant went to sleep, but his partner was watching television in the bedroom.

Read more: Man pushed woman over in row at her Darlington home 

Hardbottle began to mutter and when she asked what he was saying he got out of bed and made his way to his partner’s side of the bed.

Mr Bevan said on his way to her the defendant tripped over and so his partner got out of bed to help to pick him up.

But the defendant grabbed her and pulled her by the hair to the floor, as she tried to defend herself.

He then latched onto her chin with his mouth, biting her so hard that it began to bleed and she later required stitches to the injury.

When he did release his grip, Hardbottle got up off the floor and got back into bed.

Mr Bevan said the attack lasted about 15 minutes before the defendant let go of her chin, while all the time during the incident she was screaming in agony.

A neighbour could hear the screams and her shouts of “no”, “no”.

Mr Bevan said at hospital, examination revealed significant bruising to her arm and minor bruising to her back.

In interview, the defendant made no comment to police questions.

Mr Bevan said in the victim’s impact statement she described the pain to her chin being, “constant, sharp and severe”.

She said she still can’t believe what Hardbottle did to her and added that she no longer wants anything to do with him or see him again.

The court heard that the 43-year-old defendant, now of Warrington, Cheshire, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm at a magistrates’ court hearing, last month.

His case was sent for sentence before the crown court.

The sentencing hearing was told Hardbottle has nine convictions for 19 offences, a record which includes cases of causing grievous bodily harm, in 1996 and in 2006, receiving a four-month prison sentence for the latter offence.

Read more: Sentence delay in case of County Durham domestic violence abuser

Amrit Jandoo, in mitigation, told the court: “It was a truly barbaric act in the domestic home, which was quite a settled and happy home.

“They had been putting up the Christmas tree and whether he was disturbed as he was asleep, it aroused some very disturbing behaviour on his behalf.

“The type of violence he inflicted was truly horrific as she was not expecting him to behave like that.

“This was no repeat of previous incidents against him. It was largely alcohol consumption and personal rage vented against this woman.”

Mr Jandoo said the defendant now lives near Manchester and has no intention to return to County Durham.

He is in long-term stable employment as a machine operator, while he has also “re-engaged” with his family in the North West.

Although Mr Jandoo said work could be done with the Probation Service to avoid an immediate prison sentence, Judge Jo Kidd said it was too serious and prolonged an attack to justify anything but a straight jail term.

“You were seemingly in a loving and supportive relationship with the victim in this case.

“The offence involved serious violence. Her hair was found in your hands when police attended that property.

“It’s aggravated by your past convictions and the domestic aspect.”

Imposing a two-year prison sentence, Judge Kidd also made the defendant subject of a restraining order forbidding contact or approaches to the victim, for five years.

Read next:

               Pair both convicted and jailed for attacks on former partners in County Durham

               Durham Police arrest four men following reports of domestic abuse

               New courts to deal with domestic violence cases

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