A husband who subjected his wife to a "vile and disgusting" attack during which he repeatedly hit and headbutted her and bit her on the neck has walked free from court.
Anthony Old suddenly exploded into violence for no apparent reason shortly after family members who had been visiting them left. Despite there being no argument, he pushed her off her chair in the kitchen before raining blows with his fist and head and dragging her into the garden.
At some point during the prolonged assault, he also used his teeth on her, a court heard. Now Old, who thinks a combination of strong painkillers and alcohol sparked the attack, has been given a suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court.
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The court heard the couple had been together for 20 years and married for 15 years and Old, 45, of Alexandra Road, Heaton, Newcastle, was described by his wife as being "quite volatile". In July last year they had family round and they left around 7.30pm.
The woman was then sitting at a kitchen table when Old came downstairs and suddenly pushed the chair she was sitting on, causing it to fall back and her to fall to the floor. Rachel Glover, prosecuting, said: "He shouted repeatedly "do it".
"She didn't know why, there was no argument, it appeared completely out of the blue. He got on top of her on the floor, pulled her hair and tried to drag her up from the floor. He headbutted her multiple times and punched his wife multiple times to the side of her head.
"She felt herself being moved around the house and ended up in the garden. In the garden, he threw items towards her. Fortunately they didn't hit her but he was smashing glasses and pots. Her iPhone was smashed during the incident - he stood on it."
The following day she had a sore head and when she washed her hair she noticed blood. She also had a painful neck, swollen eye and bruising to her elbow.
Miss Glover said: "She had a bite mark to the side of her neck. She recalls him biting her but can't recall at what point during the incident it happened."
When Old was interviewed by police, he admitted the offence, saying his wife had no reason to make it up, but said he couldn't remember it. He said he had been drinking and taking strong medication which he believed may have resulted in him behaving as he did.
Old, who has seven previous convictions, including for assault, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage. He was sentenced by Judge Tim Gittins to 10 months suspended for 18 months with 100 hours unpaid work and must pay £340 costs.
Rachel Hedworth, defending, said: "He is completely and utterly and very genuinely remorseful. He is completely sickened by what he has had described to him and is struggling to come to terms with what he did to his wife.
"He has sought significant help through the mental health services because he is unable to give any rational explanation about what could possibly have been going through his mind.
"He describes his family as meaning more to him than anything else." Miss Hedworth said Old has anxiety and depression and suffered a serious workplace injury when his leg was crushed, resulting in him being on strong painkillers.
She added that the couple are now back together and are trying to move forward. Miss Hedworth said: "He is incredibly sorry and bears a huge amount of guilty for what he has put his family through.
"Clearly this is an absolutely vile and disgusting assault he has committed against his wife. Fortunately she was not as badly injured as she might have been.
"He presents as a somewhat broken individual. If he could turn the clock back, he would."
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