North Shields brute left partner with cut lip after punching her in face
by Sara Nichol · ChronicleLiveA thug who left his partner bleeding from a cut to her mouth when he punched her in the face has narrowly avoided being locked up.
Nathan Thompson had been issued with a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) by the courts, which banned him from contacting his girlfriend for a specified amount of time. However, the 33-year-old ignored the order and showed-up at her parents' house, where he knew she was staying.
Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard that the victim had been on a night out when she returned to her mum and dad's and was punched by Thompson after an argument erupted between the pair. Thompson, of Brandling Court, in North Shields, was arrested and initially pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
However, he changed his plea on the day the trial was due to start. Giving him a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, District Judge Paul Currer said: "You were aware that there was a DVPO in place preventing you from contacting [the victim].
"Nevertheless, you went to her parents' address. You ought not to have been there. [The victim] went out and when she came home she was worse for wear and had been drinking. However, that provoked a reaction from you that was quite intolerable.
"You overreacted and punched her to the face. It left a cut and swelling to her face. It was an extremely unpleasant and nasty injury, which was completely uncalled for and you ought not to have done."
The court heard that the attack happened on May 26 this year at an address in North Shields. Clare Irving, prosecuting, said: "The defendant's guilty plea was entered on the day of trial.
"The defendant conceded he had struck [the victim] in the face once. She was spoken to and she said she was content with that basis of plea. She doesn't want a restraining order."
Mark Harrison, defending, said the pair had now reconciled. Mr Harrison added: "The situation was, at the time, each were drinking heavily and that descended into problematic drinking, mainly as a result of the death of Mr Thompson's brother.
"The DVPO was put in place. On the day in question, they had been together with her consent and he's gone to the house to fix a leaking toilet. He stayed at the address while she went out."
Thompson was also ordered to pay £300 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
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