Cowardly Sunderland stalker attacked partner as night socialising turned violent
Alan Devine, who had been given a suspended prison sentence for stalking a previous partner just three months earlier, has been jailed for attacking his new partner
by Rob Kennedy · ChronicleLiveA convicted stalker subjected his new partner to a terrifying attack when a night socialising together suddenly turned violent.
Alan Devine had been in a relationship with the victim for around six months and in March this year they had been out drinking. They then went to his home and continued drinking and played cards.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that as the evening went on, he became aggressive and started shouting at her. He then refused to let her leave, restrained her and took her phone off her.
Devine banged her head off a wall he had pinned her against, causing a lump to the back of her head and there was then a scuffle on the floor. She managed to break free and ran from the house but he chased her in his van and caught up with her at the bottom of the street.
He got out, abandoning his vehicle in the middle of a junction and pinned her against a wall, screaming and swearing in her face. Police turned up and found the woman had head and leg injuries.
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Devine, 43, of Smith Street, Sunderland, who has 15 previous convictions, was on a two year suspended sentence imposed last December for stalking involving serious alarm or distress in relation to a previous partner. He admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the latest offence and that placed him in breach of the suspended sentence.
He has now been jailed for two years and eight months and was given a restraining order. Judge Tim Gittins told him: "You need to realise such cowardly behaviour is never acceptable. The tide has turned somewhat in terms of the courts protecting those in abusive relationships."
Vic Laffey, defending, said Devine had worked hard in custody to get help with his alcohol problem. He added: "Despite his record this is the first time he has been in custody. He assures me this is the first and last time he wants to be in custody."
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