A heavily intoxicated man went "out of control" when his partner refused to allow him to use her phone to order more drugs, a court heard.

Ricky Drewitt had been drinking with the woman and friends in Easington Colliery during the day on June 8.

Durham Crown Court heard that they all then moved on to a friend’s house in Peterlee, where they continued drinking and Drewitt also took some drugs.

John Crawford, prosecuting, said at one stage Drewitt shouted that he wanted more drugs, but his partner said he should not have any more.

Read more: Terrified victim feared she would die at hands County Durham partner

“He reacted badly to this and she knew the situation would escalate and so she tried to rush out of the house.”

Drewitt went after her and took hold of her in a patio area outside the house, grabbing her arms, demanding her phone.

Mr Crawford said Drewitt then told her: “Give us that phone. You are not getting me locked up.”

As they struggled, Drewitt repeatedly punched her to the head and face, causing her to go to ground where she curled up into a ball to try to protect herself.

Mr Crawford said at the culmination of the attack, Drewitt took the phone from the heavily bleeding women, who considered it to be her “lifeline”.

Not knowing the area well, and being without her phone, the victim wandered around and knocked on a door to seek help from the police.

She suffered multiple injuries, including cuts to the inside of the mouth, painful gums, and heavy bruising to her rib area, her arms, wrists and back.

Following the incident she struggled to eat and sleep due to the extent of her injuries and was unwilling to go out of her house because of the black eyes and swellings suffered in the beating.

Mr Crawford said Drewitt was arrested after being seen in a store car park in Peterlee the following day.

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

Following his failure to appear at a court hearing on November 1 he was arrested on a bench warrant and admitted charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and theft at the court last week, plus failure to surrender to custody.

The 31-year-old defendant, of Second Street, Blackhall Colliery, appeared by prison to court video link for his sentencing hearing.

Mr Crawford told the hearing Drewitt has 25 convictions for 42 offences, including numerous shoplifting cases, while he was also subject of a community order at the time of the latest offence.

Mark Styles, in mitigation, said: “He, clearly, struggles with drug problems and is apologetic for his behaviour.

“He had the good sense to plead to plead guilty.

“He said the violence used is not usually the way he behaves.

“It was unpleasant, I accept, but the injuries seem to be comparatively low level.”

Mr Styles added that Drewitt has received help with drug rehabilitation, including assistance from a well-being coach.

Judge James Adkin said, realising the defendant was “out of control”, his partner tried to get away, but she was caught and made subject of, “a plethora of injuries”, at Drewitt’s hands, in what was something of a, “prolonged assault”.

He imposed a 21-month prison sentence for the assault and theft of the phone but added a month for the failure to appear at court earlier this month.

Read next:

               Man bit partner on chin in attack at Shildon home

               County Durham man branded 'dangerous' offender after assaults on partner

               Spennymoor violence victim left fearful of partner after 'prolonged' incident

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