Attacker in horrific assault on love rival
VICTIM FLED DRESSED ONLY IN A TOWEL
A raging attacker hurled a naked man into a bath and hit him with a candle holder after finding him in bed with his on-off girlfriend.
Theo Simpson, 22, got into the woman’s home and savagely assaulted the man he found in her bed, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Fearing for his life, the terrified victim climbed out of the bathroom window and ran to seek help wearing only a towel.
Both men were having an “intermittent” relationship with the woman, said prosecutor Rachel Masters.
Simpson misunderstood what was happening with the innocent victim of the attack, who had got to know the woman through a dating app.
The victim bumped into her on a night out in Darlington and they went back to her home in Yarm on October 27 last year.
He awoke to find Simpson throwing him into the bath and smashing a candle holder over his head, the court was told.
The assailant hit him with another weapon, punched him several times and kneed his head and face.
Simpson left the bathroom, only to return minutes later topless and holding a knife.
The victim tried to calm him down but Simpson punched him to the head seven to eight times, though he did not use the blade.
Simpson bit his hand, causing heavy bleeding as the victim tried to defend himself, then left the bathroom again.
The injured man picked up a damaged shaving mirror to fend off further attack.
He climbed out of the window, escaped with a towel wrapped around him and ran to a house where a neighbour called 999.
He suffered a broken jaw and cheekbone, a scar from the hand wound and two cuts to the top of his head exposing his skull bone.
He later said in a statement: “I genuinely feared for my life.
“I feel embarrassed and humiliated. I was covered in blood wearing nothing but a towel.
“I was terrified when I saw the defendant holding a knife. I didn’t think I was going to get out of the house. I thought I was going to die.”
He said the assault affected his work and left him with flashbacks, sleeping problems, numbness, restricted movement and pain to his lower jaw, where he now has metal plates. It knocked his confidence, he felt it changed him as a person and he was unnerved and scared to go on a night out.
Simpson, of Station Road, Stokesley, had expected to pick the woman up and was calling and texting her that night, the court heard.
He admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, his first violent offence.
Michele Turner, defending, said Simpson quickly “fell on his sword”, made a full confession after the spontaneous and unplanned assault, and recognised its “life-changing impact” on the victim.
She said: “This is an exceptionally sad state of affairs.
“His thoughts are and always have been very much with regard to the complainant. His remorse was instant.
“He recognises and understands the life-changing impact he’s had on this complainant.
“He also recognises that this complainant was an entirely innocent victim in what appears to be a very unfortunate set of circumstances.
“He accepts he drew the wrong conclusion.
“However savage, it’s still a very isolated incident and not something that I think the defendant will repeat.”
She said Simpson’s mental health was suffering at the time and he was undergoing intensive counselling.
She added Simpson was “of good stock” and a hard worker with references, supported by a strong and understanding family.
Judge Deborah Sherwin said the two men appeared to have been in a similar relationship with the woman.
In Simpson’s case, she said: “It does seem in some respects to have been quite a toxic relationship. I think you were probably illequipped to cope with what you discovered that night.
“It would appear that you may have had a false impression as to the nature of the relationship between him and her.
“You found her in bed with (the victim) and basically lost it.
“He suffered serious injury. He has been greatly traumatised by what happened and it’s likely to have a lasting effect for very many years.”
Simpson, who was tearful in the dock, was jailed for six years and given an indefinite restraining order.