A thug carried out a vicious beating on his now ex-partner and left her fearing she would be killed.
Paul Edwards punched the woman in the face and prevented her from leaving the home by putting her keys in his pocket in order to continue the beating. The 35-year-old also took her phone during the incident and began to strangle her.
The violent attack left the woman believing she would be killed before Edwards eventually left the scene. The woman and her toddler who - was also in the house - then escaped out of a window after Edwards locked them inside.
Edwards, of Station Road, Seaham, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft of a phone. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.
The court was told the attack took place on the night of November 28, 2021, at a home in Peterlee and that Edwards - who had been out drinking - and the woman had been in communication while she was at home with her child.
Matthew Hopkins, prosecuting, said later that night the woman heard footsteps and saw a shadow at the window before she tried to hide. Edwards then shouted for her to let him in, which she did. It was then that he immediately began to attack her, before locking the door and putting the key in his pocket.
Judge Jo Kidd said: "You attacked her by punching her to the face and carried out a flurry of further beatings. It continued into the living room and then the kitchen. One of your first acts was to remove the keys to her property and put them in your pocket, this was done in order to continue with the assault and to prevent her from leaving."
The court heard that the woman feared she would be killed during the "persistent assault", with Edwards also taking her phone from her. Judge Kidd said that Edwards carried on the attack in the presence of the woman's child and even caused the youngster injuries. She said: "The child's presence didn't deter you from continuing the assault. She tried to escape and was holding the child, you showed no mercy and did not come to your senses. You then grabbed her by her throat and strangled her...she believed you were going to kill her."
Edwards, who had also checked her phone to see if she had been "cheating" on him, then left and locked the woman and the child in the home. The victims managed to escape out of a window and went to another home where the police were called.
Samuel Sharp, defending, said Edwards had no previous convictions and said he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He said: “He’s had time to reflect and is extremely upset by his actions and accepts he needs professional help so he doesn’t react like that again. He truly apologises.”
Mr Sharp said Edwards left his job as a sales advisor in June 2020 due to stress and receives medication for mental health issues. He added he is now in a new relationship and is expecting a child.
Judge Jo Kidd jailed Edwards for 28 months and imposed a 10 year restraining order.
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