Darlington thug sexually and physically assaulted woman

Kevin Peart left his victim with a black eye after punching her in the face before digging his nails into her breast and genitals during a prolonged assault.

The 48-year-old apologised for his behaviour but a neighbour later called the police after watching her own CCTV footage after she was awoken by the banging and shouting, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Christine Eggerton, prosecuting, said the defendant was kicking and banging on the door before his victim answered and he pushed his way past her.

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“He pushed her with full force onto the bed and she landed on her back,” she said.

“He grabbed her by the windpipe and applies a lot of pressure on her windpipe to the point where she could just about breathe.”

Miss Eggerton said the victim managed to wriggle free before the defendant grabbed her again and punched her to the face.

She told the court that the defendant then grabbed his victim’s breast while digging his nails in as though ‘he was trying to rip her skin off’. He then grabbed her genitals in exactly the same way.

The court heard how the police were called by the neighbour and initially the woman didn’t want to get involved in the investigation but later changed her mind.

Kevin Peart (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Peart, of West Moor Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault, one charge of intentional strangulation, and a further charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, following the attack last year.

Dr Christopher Wood, mitigating, said his client had a longstanding history of alcohol abuse but accepted that was not an acceptable reason for the offending.

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He added: “He bitterly regrets his actions towards the woman.”

Judge Christopher Smith locked the defendant up for a total of 45 months for all of the offences after hearing of the impact of the victim being sexually and physically assaulted.

He said: “You sexually assaulted her, grabbing her under the breast, she was left feeling like you were trying to rip her skin off before you then grabbed her genitals.”

Peart was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register until further order.