Thug attacked partner over date

A thug who punched, kicked and bit his on-off partner after hearing she had been on a date with another man has avoided jail.

Drug-fuelled Michael Wallace, of Quarry Road, Sunderland, lashed out at his girlfriend after she confessed that she had been on a date with a love rival whilst the pair were on a break.

Newcastle Crown Court, sitting at the Moot Hall, heard how the defendant picked the woman up from the airport on May 28 after she had been on holiday.

The pair, who have a child together, went back to her house in North Shields and spoke about reconciling their relationship over drinks.

However, when she told the 35-year-old that she had been on another date, he launched a horrific two-hour-long assault on the woman.

Prosecutor Micheal Bunch told the court that Wallace bit the woman 14 times on the back, as well as kickingherandstampingon her face. He then began to take his anger out on the woman’s fridge and pulled out all the contents.

Mr Bunch told how the woman managed to escape the house and ran barefoot tohermother’shousenearby – but an intoxicated Wallace then got behind the wheel and followed her there.

Wallace, of Quarry Road, Sunderland, admitted charges of actual bodily harm, criminal damage and driving whilst under the influenceofdrugsandalcohol.

Vic Laffey, defending, said that Wallace , who could not recall the assault because he was intoxicated.

Recorder Paul Kirtley said that on hearing about the case, he felt he would give Wallace an immediate custodial sentence – but after listening to Mr Laffey’s mitigation describing him as a good, honest worker with a young daughter at the forefront of his mind, decided to suspend the sentence.

Sentencing him to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, the Recorder said: “This was wholly unacceptable behaviour .”