A domestic abuser carried out a terrifying attack on his ex-partner and strangled her in her own home after climbing through a window.
Benjamin Carr had met up with his former girlfriend in a car park on July 30 this year in order to collect some of his belongings, but the 29-year-old immediately sprung an attack on the woman and dragged her around by her hair. The woman managed to run away to a friend's home, but when she returned to her own house hours later, she was confronted once again by Carr, who had managed to get into the property.
Carr, of Deckham Terrace, Deckham, Gateshead, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for assault by beating and intentional strangulation. Carr had denied the offences but was found guilty following a trial at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court.
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Jessica Slaughter, prosecuting, said Carr and the woman had been in a relationship for around two-and-a-half years but had broken up shortly before the incident. On July 30, he then contacted the woman asking for his belongings and was described as being "aggressive and angry". Ms Slaughter said: "The complainant met the defendant in a car park and took a friend along for support. They met at around 8pm and the defendant grabbed her by the hair and ragged her around the car park. He punched her to the head and grabbed her phone and stamped on it multiple times."
The woman then managed to run away to her friend's home with Carr following behind but later left the address after "knocking on" and being refused entry. The court heard that after a few hours, the woman returned to her own home only to be confronted by Carr, who had entered her property without permission via a window. He was then "abusive" to her and carried out another attack.
Ms Slaughter said: "He grabbed her by the hair and banged her head off the kitchen wall. He then squeezed her cheeks hard and strangled her. She couldn't breathe and as she felt herself falling unconscious, the defendant let go and threw her onto a sofa and asked why she didn't love him anymore."
The court was told that the woman eventually decided to escape by jumping out of a window and contacted police, who described her as being "hysterical" and "concerned the defendant would follow her". In a victim impact statement, the woman said the incident left her "terrified" and she resorted to staying in a hotel because she was so scared to return to her home.
Carr had 11 previous convictions for 20 offences, including affray and possession of a blade, battery, assault of an emergency worker, and criminal damage, the latter of which was committed against the same woman. The court was told he has a "history of violence against partners".
Tony Davis, defending, said the relationship the pair were in was "toxic" and that Carr led a "chaotic lifestyle" which involved substance abuse. He said Carr was currently addressing his issues in prison and would need "education and self-determination".
Recorder Paul Reid said Carr had "built up a substantial record of unpleasant offences of violence against ex-partners" and jailed him for 20 months. A five year restraining order was also imposed.
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