Darlington thug branded a bully for campaign of abuse

Andrew Badger would regularly shout in the face of the woman leaving her terrified before relationship eventually came to an end when he attacked her after tried to flee to safety.

The 45-year-old was branded a bully as he sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for making his partner’s life a misery.

Emma Hughes, prosecuting, said the couple were in a relationship for around a year but the coercion and control started early on before he choked her last summer.

She said: “From the beginning of the relationship the defendant would shout at her and make her flinch and feel as though she was going to be hit by him.

“The relationship progressed to actual violence in June or July last year when the defendant grabbed her by the throat with both hands with such force that her breathing was restricted.

“During that occasion, she said she was frightened because she couldn’t breathe and the defendant continued to shout at her.”

The court heard how the defendant also slapped her across the face as he claimed she "winds him up".

Miss Hughes said that whenever she tried to leave the relationship the defendant would threaten suicide or turn up at her home and shout through her letterbox for hours.

The judge heard how the final incident happened in January this year when the defendant followed her into a barbers’ shop and grabbed her mobile phone while she was trying to call the police.

Andrew Badger (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Badger, of Aldam Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, coercive and controlling behaviour, and two charges of assault by beating.

Daniel Cordey, mitigating, accepted his client had a lengthy criminal record but few were related to violence or domestic abuse.

“He does not seek to have any further contact with the complainant in this case,” he said. “He says he has had plenty of time to think about where that relationship led him and he has no wish to contact her again.”

Recorder Richard Wright KC branded the defendant an aggressive bully as he sentenced him.

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He said: “This relationship lasted for about a year and it was a relationship dominated by your aggressive, violent, controlling and coercive behaviour.

“As the relationship progressed, so did your use of violence and became very serious when you grabbed her by the throat.

“You applied pressure to her neck and her breathing was restricted. The reason courts view strangulation as a serious offence is because even short-lived pressure to the neck can have fatal consequences.”

Badger was also made subject of a ten-year restraining order to protect his victim from future attacks or abuse.