A man carried out a drunken assault on his estranged partner as she was driving her car, before he took to the wheel himself after she fled the vehicle.

Durham Crown Court was told the incident took place only weeks after Idris Hussain received a suspended eight-week prison sentence for an offence of stalking the same woman.

Andrew Finlay, prosecuting, said the couple had been in a relationship for much of 2022, before things soured and he received the stalking conviction over numerous phone calls made to her, on October 28.

Despite being subject to a suspended prison sentence for stalking, imposed by magistrates on November 3, Hussain turned up at her home in the company of another man, at 8.15pm on November 21.

Read more: County Durham man jailed for 'reprehensible' attack on former partner

Mr Finlay said Hussain was carrying two bottles of whisky and became involved in a row with his estranged partner over why she would not take him to Birmingham.

It culminated in them getting into her Range Rover and setting off, with Hussain continuing to be aggressive as she attempted to drive the vehicle.

Mr Finlay said at one stage she dropped her phone having activated the 'SOS' button.

Hussain picked it up from the footwell and told a call handler responding to the SOS alert that there was nothing wrong and claimed the crying of his estranged partner who could be heard in the background was actually a child.

As the woman who had been driving tried to get out of the car, Hussain pulled her back and struck her on the face, causing a swelling to her lip.

But she was eventually able to get out, fleeing to a nearby shop to call the police.

Hussain struck and smashed the back window of the car with his fist in frustration, before getting into the vehicle and driving away, himself.

Police found the Range Rover abandoned in the middle of a road, with the rear side window smashed, blood stains on a back door, while the interior smelled of alcohol.

Mr Finlay said although Hussain was not at his home address when police went searching for him, he was found and arrested in the vicinity.

Although the victim made an impact statement to police after the incident, the court heard that she subsequently retracted it, and, therefore, the prosecution made no application for a restraining order.

Hussain, 30, of Rowlandson Terrace, Ferryhill, admitted common assault, taking a vehicle without consent, driving without insurance and criminal damage, at a plea hearing last week.

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

The sentencing hearing today (Monday January 30) was told his record includes offences of violence and a conviction for drug supply, in 2016, for which he received a four-year prison sentence.

Paul Abrahams, in mitigation, conceded his client’s latest offending, “crosses the custody threshold”, as well as putting him in breach of the suspended sentence, from November 3.

Mr Abrahams told the court the defendant’s offending in the later months last year came against a background of mental health issues for which various medication was prescribed to stabilise his mood.

“It appears the breakdown led to these offences, but he points out that while his antecedent record is bad, this and the stalking conviction were the first domestic violence offences he has faced.”

But Mr Abrahams said the defendant has struggled while on remand in custody and asked the court to take a lenient course.

Addressing Judge James Adkin, via video link from nearby Durham Prison, the defendant said he was, “appalled” with himself over his behaviour.

He said his weeks in prison on remand have been, “horrific”, saying he has experienced racism and threats.

But he said he has been able to, “reunite" himself with God while in custody and he pledged to take his medication and avoid non-prescription drugs in future.

He added that on his release he will attempt to become a head chef as he had been working previously at a popular restaurant chain

Judge Adkin said the aggravating features of the case were that it came so soon after the suspended sentence was imposed, and the fact he was intoxicated at the time.

Read next:

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

              County Durham man jailed for 'remorseless' and 'humiliating' violence

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

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The judge told him: “You were a man who just couldn’t let go of your relationship.”

He imposed a 15-week prison sentence and activated the full eight weeks of the suspended sentence, making both run consecutively, giving a total 23 week sentence.

Hussain will also be banned from driving for six-months upon his release from prison.