Drunk man held knife to throat of woman
A WOMAN was left fearing for her life after a man held a knife to her neck and tried to choke her.
Mudrik Mbarouk was at the victim’s home in May last year when the incident took place. He threatened her, smashed a TV, held a knife to her throat and pushed her down the stairs, a court heard.
The woman was able to flee to a neighbour’s house for help but thought she was “going to be killed” during the ordeal.
Mbarouk, 21, of Lough Court, Gateshead, was arrested by police and at Newcastle Crown Court pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm, affray, criminal damage and having an article with a bladed point.
Prosecutor Ellen Wright said Mbarouk and his partner went to the woman’s home on May 20.
“They had been having some drinks and the defendant had become drunk,” said Ms Wright. “He was making a mess in the house. The victim asked the defendant to leave the house. The defendant became aggressive.”
Mbarouk followed her into the kitchen and “cornered her”. She picked up a knife but he produced his own knife, which was around 8ins in length, with a 6ins blade, the court heard.
The woman told him she was going to call the police and he said: “You think I’m a mug. You think I’m afraid of the police?” He then held the knife to her neck but, a few seconds later, his partner pulled him away from the victim.
The woman went to a bedroom and called the police, the prosecutor said. Ms Wright added: “While she was on the phone, she could hear the defendant stabbing the door from outside. She heard him saying ‘I’ll f ****** torch the place.’”
He went on to say “You think I won’t stab you?”
Mbarouk then grabbed her neck with a firm grip and the victim described feeling “choked”.
“The defendant went to the living room. He pulled the TV off the wall, causing it to break,” the prosecutor said. “She (the victim) was pushed down the stairs and landed on her back.”
The woman managed to leave the house and went to a neighbour’s home asking for help.
When police officers arrived, Mbarouk was seen discarding something in a bush, which was later found to be a knife, and he was arrested.
The court heard the victim had bruising to her leg, scrapes to a knee and pain in her arm.
In a statement she said: “I feel extremely scared as a result of this incident. I don’t feel safe to live here.”
Glenn Gatland, defending, said Mbarouk had a “very, very unhappy” childhood.
He said: “He came from London with his family in 2014 to the North East. He has been subjected to what I can only describe as severe racial harassment, with things being spray painted on walls and property where he was living.”
Mbarouk “was a child very much at risk” because of a number of difficulties, said his barrister, and he had support sessions to help him.
“He’s thoroughly ashamed of his behaviour”, said Mr Gatland.
“He has been in custody since October. He was employed in a warehouse in prison and complied with all the prison rules.”
Recorder Carl Gumsley said he was giving Mbarouk “one more chance” and imposed a 16-month sentence at a young offender institution, suspended for 18 months. He ordered him to carry out rehabilitation activities and 100 hours of unpaid work.
A restraining order was also made banning Mbarouk from making contact with the victim.
Recorder Gumsley said: “Were it not for the fact that you have served a significant period of time for a young man in custody already, I would have imposed a custodial sentence.”