BENJAMIN MILLS FROM DARLINGTON SENTENCED AFTER VIOLENT ATTACK ON WOMAN AND CHILD NEAR DARLINGTON RAILWAY STATION
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Darlington Domestic Abuser Child Abuser
A man from Darlington, Benjamin Mills, has been sentenced to prison after a violent incident that resulted in serious injuries to a young child and a woman. The assault took place in the town, near Darlington Railway Station, and has shocked the local community with its brutality.
According to court proceedings, Mills, aged 33, was involved in an incident that left a young child with a head injury and a woman with multiple injuries. The events unfolded in August of the previous year, during an evening when Mills and the woman had been drinking together in the town centre. The situation escalated after they returned to a residence with a friend of the victim.
It was during this time that Mills, who was reportedly intoxicated, became increasingly aggressive. The court heard that he was unable to locate his mobile phone, which appeared to trigger his anger. When he accused the woman of misplacing the device, his frustration boiled over, leading to a violent outburst. Mills began hitting the woman repeatedly, striking her head and body in a short but intense attack that left her injured.
The assault did not stop there. During the chaos, the child, who was present at the scene, was caught in the crossfire. The young child sustained a cut to the head, which was severe enough to warrant immediate medical attention. Emergency services were called to Grainger Road, near Darlington Railway Station, around 10 pm, following reports of a disturbance in the street. Paramedics attended the scene and transported the child to hospital for treatment.
Medical experts later confirmed that the child's injury was caused by a significant amount of force, ruling out the possibility that it was simply from a fall. Fortunately, subsequent examinations revealed that the child did not suffer a brain bleed, which could have had catastrophic consequences. Nonetheless, the injury was serious enough to warrant concern and medical intervention.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Daniel Ingham, emphasized that Mills's actions were fueled by alcohol and a loss of self-control. The court heard that Mills had begun assaulting the woman by hitting her repeatedly on the head before eventually stopping on his own. It was also noted that he had noticed the child's injury afterward.
Following a trial earlier this year, Mills was found guilty of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The judge, Jonathan Carroll, sentenced him to 28 months in prison, highlighting the severity of the attack and the danger posed to the victims. In his remarks, Judge Carroll stated, “Whatever it was that triggered your anger, your anger became rapidly out of control and the trigger point was that you had misplaced your mobile phone and blamed her for that. I suspect that you are maybe someone, when in drink, has less self-control and more anger when they are sober. You were dissatisfied that she wasn’t doing what you wanted, when you wanted, and you rapidly resorted to violence. You hit her repeatedly, in a short but significant attack.”
Addressing the child's injury, the judge added, “Undoubtedly the risk is massive, the head injury to a young child could have catastrophic consequences. Mercifully, it became clear that the child did not have a brain bleed, so it was less serious than it might have been.”
Robin Turton, representing Mills, acknowledged that there was little mitigation to offer, given the guilty verdict. As part of the court's decision, Mills was also subjected to a 16-year restraining order designed to protect the victims from further contact or harassment. The case underscores the dangers of alcohol-fueled violence and the importance of swift legal action to protect vulnerable individuals in the community.
According to court proceedings, Mills, aged 33, was involved in an incident that left a young child with a head injury and a woman with multiple injuries. The events unfolded in August of the previous year, during an evening when Mills and the woman had been drinking together in the town centre. The situation escalated after they returned to a residence with a friend of the victim.
It was during this time that Mills, who was reportedly intoxicated, became increasingly aggressive. The court heard that he was unable to locate his mobile phone, which appeared to trigger his anger. When he accused the woman of misplacing the device, his frustration boiled over, leading to a violent outburst. Mills began hitting the woman repeatedly, striking her head and body in a short but intense attack that left her injured.
The assault did not stop there. During the chaos, the child, who was present at the scene, was caught in the crossfire. The young child sustained a cut to the head, which was severe enough to warrant immediate medical attention. Emergency services were called to Grainger Road, near Darlington Railway Station, around 10 pm, following reports of a disturbance in the street. Paramedics attended the scene and transported the child to hospital for treatment.
Medical experts later confirmed that the child's injury was caused by a significant amount of force, ruling out the possibility that it was simply from a fall. Fortunately, subsequent examinations revealed that the child did not suffer a brain bleed, which could have had catastrophic consequences. Nonetheless, the injury was serious enough to warrant concern and medical intervention.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Daniel Ingham, emphasized that Mills's actions were fueled by alcohol and a loss of self-control. The court heard that Mills had begun assaulting the woman by hitting her repeatedly on the head before eventually stopping on his own. It was also noted that he had noticed the child's injury afterward.
Following a trial earlier this year, Mills was found guilty of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The judge, Jonathan Carroll, sentenced him to 28 months in prison, highlighting the severity of the attack and the danger posed to the victims. In his remarks, Judge Carroll stated, “Whatever it was that triggered your anger, your anger became rapidly out of control and the trigger point was that you had misplaced your mobile phone and blamed her for that. I suspect that you are maybe someone, when in drink, has less self-control and more anger when they are sober. You were dissatisfied that she wasn’t doing what you wanted, when you wanted, and you rapidly resorted to violence. You hit her repeatedly, in a short but significant attack.”
Addressing the child's injury, the judge added, “Undoubtedly the risk is massive, the head injury to a young child could have catastrophic consequences. Mercifully, it became clear that the child did not have a brain bleed, so it was less serious than it might have been.”
Robin Turton, representing Mills, acknowledged that there was little mitigation to offer, given the guilty verdict. As part of the court's decision, Mills was also subjected to a 16-year restraining order designed to protect the victims from further contact or harassment. The case underscores the dangers of alcohol-fueled violence and the importance of swift legal action to protect vulnerable individuals in the community.