While most people enjoy happy and committed relationships, these men have made life hell for the people they were meant to care about and love.
These criminals were all jailed at North East courts in recent months over sickening attacks on their current or former partners. Many of their victims were left with permanent physical issues as well as emotional scars from their traumatic experiences.
From a thug who subjected his partner to shocking kidnap threats about her children to a brute who left his partner to die in a pool of her own blood with a knife embedded in her chest, we've compiled a list of some of those who have been in court recently to face up to their crimes.
Read more: Three international dealers who attempted to send drugs across Atlantic jailed after Newcastle raids
Here are five domestic violence brutes who have been jailed recently for their crimes:
Daniel Rush
Daniel Rush choked his partner, held a knife to her throat, poured pop over her, punched and kicked her, and told her he was going to kill her in her own home. The mother, who lives in the Newbiggin Hall area of Newcastle, was also subjected to shocking kidnap threats about her children.
When he said he was going to get her children, she bravely fought back, throwing a chair at his face and stopping him from getting upstairs where the sleeping youngsters were. He told her "I get paid to kidnap kids for a living" and said if he was jailed someone else would come and take her children.
In a victim impact statement, the woman, who suffered extensive bruising all over her arms and legs, said: "I don't want to be here anymore, I'm frightened for myself and my children. He has mentioned people would come and take my kids and I believe he knows people who would do this.
"I'm afraid if I leave the house someone will kick the door in and take the kids. My kids were in the house at the time and I believed he was going to try to kill me and get to my kids and I had to protect them. I'm afraid he or other people will try to get to me or my kids and I don't feel safe in my home."
Rush, 28, of Bracken Place in Fenham, Newcastle, who has 32 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assaulting two emergency workers after attacking police after his arrest, including spitting and headbutting them. He was jailed for a total of 18 months and given an indefinite restraining order by Recorder Mark Giuliani.
Steven Wood
Murderous 'monster' Steven Wood left his loving partner to die in a pool of her own blood with a knife embedded in her chest after a frenzied attack in her own home. Martina Turner suffered 29 knife wounds and it was a miracle she survived but she was left with a series of physical and psychological effects.
Wood, 54, moved into her home in Winlaton Mill, Gateshead, but his behaviour started to become erratic and unpredictable because he wasn't taking medication for his mental health issues. Suddenly he snapped and repeatedly knifed Martina after she said she wanted to go for a walk and he told her not to.
After knifing her time and again in the back, he told her he would have to finish her off and plunged a larger blade into her chest, where it became embedded. Newcastle Crown Court heard Wood then left his lover for dead in a pool of her own blood in a kitchen cupboard, locking her in the house and taking her key.
In her victim impact statement, Martina said: "We had been together for over a year and planned the rest of our lives together. Now I have to live with the knowledge the man I loved and tried to help and believed was my soulmate could turn into a monster and attack me, telling me when I begged for my life he would have to finish me off. I feel so naïve, stupid and manipulated."
Wood was jailed for life for attempted murder and Judge Paul Sloan QC told him he must serve a minimum of 12 years before he can even be considered for release. He also imposed an indefinite restraining order.
Thomas White
This Gateshead thug was jailed for a new offence of 'intentional strangulation' after he put a mum in a chokehold when she dumped him for cheating.
The mum thought she was going to die when she was held by the neck for 10 to 15 seconds by well-built brute Thomas White, who also went on to punch her, stalk her and drove "like a madman" chasing her as she tried to go to a doctors appointment. They had been in a relationship for around a year and a half and she said he had been aggressive during it.
In a victim impact statement, she said the offending had a wide range of consequences for her. She has ended up on medication for anxiety, depression and sleeping problems and is having counselling. She was unable to work and suffering nightmares about White when she was able to sleep and it has also impacted on her son.
She said she also had to "seek treatment for her own personal sexual health because of how the relationship came to an end because of the problems his behaviour caused to her". In terms of physical injuries she had bruising to various areas.
White, 33, of Burney Villas, Deckham, Gateshead, who has eight previous convictions, pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, stalking involving fear of violence, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage. He was jailed for two-and-a-half years and given an indefinite restraining order.
Sonny Tote
This cruel domestic violence thug dragged his victim by her arm which was in a sling from him breaking her collarbone two days earlier.
Sonny Tote had been given a restraining order in January which banned him from contacting his on-off partner, for offences of battery and criminal damage against her. But on March 1 police saw them with others outside a house in Walker, Newcastle and on seeing officers, he ran off.
On March 20, the victim was sitting in a chair when he dragged her from the chair by her hair and punched her in the face. Then on April 18 she suspected him of being involved with another woman and they began arguing. He then assaulted her and pleaded guilty to GBH on the basis he pushed her over, causing a broken collarbone.
And on April 20, she was at her friend's home when he broke a pane of glass in a door and managed to gain entry to the house. The woman was on the phone to police but he prized the phone from her hand and assaulted her by grabbing her arm, which was in a sling from the previous attack, and dragged her down the street.
Tote, 26, of Melbourne Court, Shieldfield, Newcastle, who has 23 previous convictions, including for assaulting partners, pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching a restraining order, two of assault by beating, GBH and criminal damage. He was jailed for 26 months.
Christopher Jones
Christopher Jones told his partner "God has presented me to batter you" and threatened to kill her son. Police were called to an ongoing domestic incident in Benwell, Newcastle, on Mary 2 this year and saw the victim crying and with fresh injuries, including a cut nose and grazed cheek.
She claimed she sustained them from falling up the stairs but CCTV revealed the truth of what happened. It showed him pursuing her and punching and pushing her, knocking her to the ground then dragging her back to the building and delivering a headbutt.
A man then came to the doorway and Jones punched him five or six times. When Jones was interviewed, he denied attacking the woman, saying they were in love and everything was fine. Jones has 66 previous convictions, including several assaults, attempted rape, and robbery.
Jones, of St John's Court, Benwell, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating. For that and breaching two previous community orders, he was jailed for two years.
Read next:
- Police boss vows to continue push on tackling burglaries across North East
- Members of the public detain driver after car smashes into wall in Winlaton
- Trusted worker stole £46k-worth of jewels from Jesmond jewellers
- Newcastle man launched violent attack on woman and shook a baby after benefits phone call
- Lorry driver who caused three deaths in horror crash on A1 in County Durham speaks out from prison cell
