Unprovoked attacks carried out by these thugs left their victims dealing with horrific physical and emotional scars.
Some of their victims have been said to be lucky to be alive after being attacked after coming into contact with these criminals.
One man threw boiling water and sugar over his own mum while she was in her room. While another slashed a stranger's face with a knife after they refused to buy drugs off them.
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These are the shameful North East criminals in court for unprovoked attacks which had brutal consequences.
Brody Ruddy
Brody Ruddy caused a gaping wound to a stranger's face in a shocking street attack. The 34-year-old asked the 18-year-old victim and his friend if they wanted to buy drugs but then lashed out with a knife he was carrying after they refused.
The teen suffered a deep and gaping injury to the right side of his face that required sutures at hospital and caused underlying damage to his glands.
A judge said the victim was "in the wrong place at the wrong time" and the attack was wholly unprovoked with "no motive or reason" behind it. Prosecutor Jolyon Perks told Newcastle Crown Court the victim has since died but his death was not linked to the attack, which happened on March 13.
Ruddy, 34, of General Havelock Road, Sunderland, admitted wounding with intent and having a bladed article. Recorder Nathan Adams sentenced him to 57 months behind bars with an extended licence period of a further 27 months.
Jack Ferguson
Jack Ferguson left his neighbour scarred for life after slashing his face as he tried to stop Ferguson from attacking two women in the street.
Victim Gary Dunbar was at home with his family when he heard a commotion outside and when he looked out he saw Ferguson, 27, attacking his girlfriend and her sister, punching them to the ground. A court heard Mr Dunbar noticed his girlfriend had gone outside to try to intervene, so he followed her.
Mr Dunbar, who'd had no previous issues with Ferguson, asked him what he was doing and was told to "f*** off". Ferguson, of Minton Court, North Shields, then continued to attack the two women. Mr Dunbar grabbed his arm to try to stop him and Ferguson punched him in the face and swung further blows at him.
He then realised he was bleeding and Ferguson had taken a Stanley knife from his waistband and slashed him across his face. He was taken to Cramlington Hospital and needed 40 stitches to the 13cm wound and has been left permanently scarred.
Ferguson, who has 22 previous convictions, including for drugs and weapons offences, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article. Judge Paul Sloan KC said he poses a significant risk to members of the public and jailed him for six years with an extended licence period of a further three years. He also imposed a restraining order to protect Mr Dunbar and his family.
Tony Davis, defending, said: "He has written a letter which is a direct apology to Mr Dunbar. His remorse is genuine, he bitterly regrets what he has done."
Steven Wood
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 thought Wood, 54, was her soulmate, having fallen for his charm and generosity. But after he moved into her home in Winlaton Mill, Gateshead, his behaviour started to become erratic and unpredictable because he wasn't taking medication for his mental health issues.
After a couple of flashpoints, the couple were trying to work through their difficulties when Wood suddenly 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. Having suffered 29 knife wounds, it was a miracle she survived.
Wood was jailed for life for attempted murder.
Kieran Gillan
Kieran Gillan left his mum screaming in pain after pouring a jug of boiling water mixed with sugar over her in a horrific attack.
Gillan, 25, bore a grudge against his mum after he ended up in care from the age of eight. After trying to rebuild his relationship with both parents, he ended up living with his dad and they were getting on well.
But when his mum moved in, things went downhill and Gillan's bitterness over his childhood soared. On the morning of November 24 last year, he "felt a rush of sudden anger" against his mum and went to the bedroom she shared with his dad and assaulted her by punching her several times in the face, causing black eyes, a bleeding lip and a mark to her nose.
Then, around lunchtime, he filled a jug with boiling water and sugar, donned waterproof clothing, went back to her room and threw the burning concoction over her. She screamed in pain and was left with "ugly burns" to her face, neck, ear and chest. The court heard Gillan told his mum: "You scarred me and I'm going to scar you."
Gillan, of Stanhope Road, South Shields, who has previous convictions for assaulting former partners, pleaded guilty to GBH with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. At Newcastle Crown Court, he was jailed for four years and eight months, with an extended licence period of a further two years and four months.
Justin Watson
Justin Watson left his neighbour terrified in her own home after she caught him pouring petrol through her letterbox while holding a lighter.
In March last year, Watson's victim was in her front room when she heard her letterbox. She assumed it was the postman until she heard it again and went to look. Through the frosted glass she could make out a figure in dark clothing and realised it was Watson but at that point still had no idea what he was up to.
Michael Bunch, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court that the victim went to open the door and could see the defendant outside. She could smell petrol and noticed he had in his hand a small dark lighter and some petrol in a can.
Watson, 50, of Waltham Close, Wallsend, who has 11 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to attempted reckless arson and was jailed for 32 months and given an indefinite restraining order. Judge Tim Gittins said it was a "highly dangerous act" and that if he had lit it there would have been a significant risk to the life of the woman and others.
Watson has lived next door to the woman in Wallsend for 25 years and they have never seen eye to eye due to his behaviour, a court heard. Helen Towers, defending, said Watson owns the house next to the victim and intends to return to it but wants to sell it and move to Spain to work as a mechanic. She added: "He says he wishes it didn't happen and wants to move on and is sorry."
The court heard before the incident he mistakenly thought noise from another property was coming from the victim's home.
Gavin Devine
Gavin Devine left his partner with a brain injury and a "perfect" print of his slipper sole on her forehead. Devine, 37, flew into an "uncontrollable, jealous frenzy" while the couple were drinking wine at home on February 14 last year.
A court heard his terrifying attack has left the mum with life-changing impairment in brain function. The victim's glasses were damaged during the violence, which left her unable to see where the harmful blows, including stamps to her head, were coming from.
Prosecutor Richard Herrmann told the court the trouble started when Devine began arguing about the woman's ex partner while they were at home in North Tyneside. Devine, of no fixed address, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and criminal damage. Recorder Tony Hawks sentenced him to five years behind bars.
Michael Lindsay
Michael Lindsay left a delivery driver injured and afraid after attacking him after he dropped food off in the Byker Wall area. The Just Eat worker had just dropped off food when he was approached by Lindsay. The thug used an iron file to hit the driver in the head then steal from him at around midnight on the night of May 14 last year.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim was left traumatised by the ordeal and afraid to work in the Byker Wall area again. Lindsay, 44, of Derby Terrace, Thornaby, Stockton, who has 38 previous convictions, including for a number of robberies in 2003 and wounding with intent, pleaded guilty to robbery. He was jailed for five years and seven months.
Stuart Graham, defending, said: "It's surprising when you meet him. He comes across as exceedingly polite. He is very articulate and exceedingly sorry for what he has done."
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