Stanley man told to expect jail after domestic violence plea changes

It follows changes of pleas by Jason Stephen Dixon, who was facing a trial in January after his initial denials to all the charges he faced.

Appearing at his Durham Crown Court plea hearing, in September, by video link from the city’s nearby prison, the 35-year-old defendant pleaded not guilty to all six charges.

They included assault causing actual bodily harm, assault by beating, and three of damaging or destroying property, relating to windows, a television set and a mobile phone belonging to his then partner, all said to have been committed between July 11 and August 17 this year.

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A trial date was fixed for a three-day hearing, due to start at the court on Tuesday January 18.

But, four weeks before the scheduled jury hearing, Dixon once more appeared before the court, still from custody at Durham Prison.

Those five charges were put to him again, to which Dixon, of Potter Place, Stanley, this time pleaded guilty.

Prosecution counsel Annelise Haugstad said those pleas were “acceptable” to the Crown and there would, now, be no need for the trial.

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Judge James Adkin fixed a date for the sentencing hearing, on January 13, and told Dixon: “You have now pleaded guilty to some of the charges and there will not need to be a trial.

“We will need a report by the Probation Service, so keep any appointments arranged.

Remanding the defendant to remain in custody until the sentencing hearing, Judge Adkin told him: “You should expect to receive a custodial sentence.”