Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Eston boxer attacked girlfriend to the point where she pleaded for her life


Derek Douglas ordered to work for the community after he punched his partner repeatedly dragged her to the ground and choked her




A boxer who attacked his girlfriend to the point where she pleaded for her life has been ordered to work for the community.


Derek Douglas, 52, punched his partner repeatedly then dragged her to the ground, sat on her and choked her, a court heard.


He put his hands around her neck and she pleaded for her life because she had a child to look after, said prosecutor Sharon Elves.


The amateur boxer let her go, rang the police and confessed what he’d done, Teesside Crown Court was told. He told officers he hit her a few times but pulled back and it could have been a lot worse. The victim suffered five deep cuts to her forehead and left eye area and needed stitches to her ear after the attack at Douglas’ Eston flat.


She later said the assault made her feel horrible about herself and ashamed, the court heard.


Douglas, of Jubilee Road, Eston, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.


Andrew Teate, defending, said this was an “aberration” for Douglas, who hadn’t been in court for violence except a common assault in 1996. There had been no similar incidents in the two-year relationship.


Douglas apologised and called an ambulance and the police, he said. “In spite of there being no complaint, he tells them immediately, ‘I’ve done something very wrong. This is where I am. Come and arrest me.’


“He tells the police everything.” Mr Teate said the relationship was at an end and Douglas was “deeply remorseful.”


Judge George Moorhouse told Douglas: “You and your partner were watching television, drinking wine and smoking cannabis. The two don’t go together.” Of the assault, the judge said: “You being a boxer should not have behaved in this way.”


He gave Douglas a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months with supervision and 240 hours’ unpaid work.


No restraining order was made as the victim did not want one and Douglas had not been in touch with her since the incident.



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