A thug armed with a meat cleaver threatened to kill his girlfriend during a violent attack that left her with serious injuries.
Jordan Storey brutally assaulted his partner while dishing out menacing threats and smashing up her property in the early hours of January 9. The 31-year-old's attack was so violent, the woman believed he dislocated her shoulder, to which he replied: "Stop being so dramatic, it's just dislocated".
Storey, of Stratton Street, Spennymoor, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Thursday to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, threats to kill, and criminal damage. He had pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.
Neil Jones, prosecuting, said Storey and his partner had been in a relationship at the time and she had been living with him for around 10 months before the incident. Mr Jones said that soon after, their "relationship deteriorated", with Storey's mental health issues also being a contributing factor.
The court heard that amid the break-up of the relationship, Storey told the woman not to come home one night "or things would get violent". She did, however, return with Storey "smirking and snarling at her".
Mr Jones, said: "The defendant then grabbed her and flung her towards the stairs where she landed on her left shoulder. The pain was horrific and he was leaning over her as she was screaming in pain.
"The defendant said, 'stop being so dramatic, it's just dislocated'. He picked her arm up and it popped."
Mr Jones said Storey continued to grab her arm and pulled it - the pain was so severe the woman vomited. She also realised some of her property had been damaged, including a TV. Storey "either punched her or backhanded her in the face", before he followed her into the kitchen where he smashed a mobile phone and bottles.
Storey then demanded money for a bus pass before he grabbed her by the hair and threatened to kill her if she called the police. He then left but sent her abusive voice notes as the woman eventually managed to go to sleep.
But she was awoken from her sleep by Storey grabbing her hair after returning to the house. He punched, kicked and grabbed her by the throat, the court heard.
Mr Jones said that Storey then saw that a framed picture of his dead friend had been smashed and blamed her for it. "In her words, the defendant then went mental", he said.
"He picked up a meat cleaver whilst crying, saying that he was going to kill her. She was on the floor and he came over her. She then felt a blow to the left side of her head, which might have been from the handle of the cleaver, but she unaware of what actually hit her."
The woman "begged" Storey not to kill her before he again punched and kicked her before eventually leaving. The court heard that the full incident lasted around an hour, with damage also being caused to bedroom, which Storey had smashed up and pulled a door of its hinges. The court heard he had seven previous convictions for 18 offences, including another threat to kill, aggravated vehicle taking, and criminal damage.
Jane Waugh, defending, said Storey had pleaded guilty to the offences and had never been in custody before. Speaking of Storey's former partner, she said: "She acknowledges he's been a good step-father and partner and that he's got mental health problems that affect his behaviour."
She said there were "stress factors" in Storey's life leading up to the incident and that he had been "stabilised" by medication while remanded in prison. Ms Waugh added that Storey regrets the incident "enormously".
Sentencing Storey, Recorder Thomas Moran jailed him for 48 months and imposed an indefinite restraining order banning contact with his former partner.
