A man threw nail varnish remover into the face of his partner and then stamped on her head in a row which developed as they watched tv in bed one morning.

Andrew James Kitson had been in the relationship with the woman for about 11 months by the time of the incident, on December 2, last year.

Durham Crown Court was told that Kitson’s partner was unhappy as she did not want some of his friends to come to the house.The Northern Echo: Andrew Kitson jailed for 24 months and given five-year restraining order for domestic attack

Chris Morrison, prosecuting, said as she tried to climb over the defendant to leave the room Kitson struck her to the side of the face.

Blocking her exit from the room, he picked up a bottle of nail varnish remover and threw it into his partner’s face, causing stinging to her eyes and leaving her briefly struggling to see.

Kitson also spat at her as she tried to get past him to get to the kitchen to her phone.

But the defendant grabbed the phone and hit her on the head with it, before stamping on it and then stamping on her head at least twice.

Mr Morrison said the victim got to her feet with blood pouring from her face, so the defendant threw a wet towel at her and told her to clean the floor and her face.

The injured woman then locked herself into the bathroom.

Kitson told her to pack her bags, which she did, and then, while holding a rolling pin and knife told her he had not touched her and to tell anyone who asked that she had fallen over while drunk.

He then left the house and she went to a friend’s home where she rang for the police.

Mr Morrison said the victim received treatment for injuries to her face and an inch-long laceration to the top of her head.

She also suffered bruising to her head, legs, arms and to the rest of her body, while she suffered blurred vision from the effects of the nail varnish remover.

Her head was bandaged for five days and she said she was left “terrified” for her family and frightened to go home as a result of the incident.

Kitson was arrested on December 16 and gave “no comment” replies to all police questions.

The 33-year-old defendant, of Wolsey Road, Seaham, was initially charged with unlawful wounding.

But his guilty plea to assault causing actual bodily harm was subsequently accepted by the prosecution.

The court heard he has 20 convictions for 44 previous offences, including robbery in 2018, but none for assault since 2007.

Laura Miller, for Kitson, said it had been an 11-month relationship, which, “on any account was a very unhealthy one and he does not want to rekindle that relationship.”

Miss Miller said the defendant has taken “great strides” to address a long-term heroin addiction which he intends to pursue further in the New Year.

“At the time he had personal issues in his life.

"He doesn’t make any excuse for his behaviour and he apologises to the complainant.

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“He’s embarrassed having been released from custody in early 2019 and is now seriously at risk of a further custodial sentence.”

Judge James Adkin said the defendant left his partner in, “a pitiful state” and only an immediate custodial sentence was merited.

Imposing a 24-month prison sentence, Judge Adkin also made Kitson subject of a restraining order forbidding him from contacting or approaching his victim for five years.

 

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