Jail for thug who beat partner and her father

A “JEKYLL and Hyde” violent man who attacked his partner and her pensioner dad when he tried to protect her has been jailed.

Adam English had already demeaned, threatened and abused his partner during their relationship and they split up after he committed offences against her. But after she let him back into her life, he turned violent after a night out, attacking her and her 66-year-old father.

As the 28-year-old thug, of Coach Road Estate, Washington, was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court, a judge said he hopes any future potential partners of English take advantage of Clare’s Law to find out about his past.

The court heard English had been in a relationship with the 23-yearold woman for around three years. Rachel Glover, prosecuting, said she had tried to end it a number of times due to his controlling behaviour but he would threaten and abuse her.

On one occasion he told her to go and hang herself in the woods as no one cared for her and she ended up having to leave her job at a hospital after he threatened to assault her. He was convicted of battery, criminal damage, stalking and disclosing private sexual pictures in 2021. After that, he was given a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim. In 2022, contact between them resumed despite the order.

Things came to a head on September 1 2023, when she met him and went to a club with him and her 66-year-old dad. They went back to her home and continued drinking.

Her dad went to bed around 9pm and shortly after that English started arguing with the woman about his phone. He verbally abused her and said he would kill her.

He started punching her to the head and her dad came into the room and tried to push him out but English punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the floor, cutting his ear on a table as he fell.

As the woman tried to help her dad, English punched her five times to her head. He then punched the pensioner to the floor again in the kitchen, standing on his ankle and causing a fracture to his foot. He then repeatedly punched his former partner, who was left with bruising, before leaving with her dog.

In a victim impact statement, she said: “I’m unable to trust anyone following this incident and our relationship. I will never forgive him for what he did to myself and my dad.”

English, 28, who has 24 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and breaching a restraining order in relation to the woman and GBH on her dad. He was jailed for four years and given an indefinite restraining order.

Judge Tim Gittins told him: “She was dealing with you as something of a Jekyll and Hyde character ... It’s to be hoped any future partner takes advantage of Clare’s Law in terms of finding out about your background.”

Adam English