SOUTH SHIELDS MAN RECEIVES SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR PERSISTENT HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT

Johnny McRae had an on-again, off-again relationship with the victim for approximately three years. Throughout this period, she described him as controlling and abusive. She ended the relationship in October 2018 but continued to face harassment from him, including unwanted visits and threats. In January 2019, the victim returned to her home and found Johnny McRae holding a brick. He told her she was lucky to be back because he intended to break her window. When she tried to call the police, he took her phone and refused to leave her property until the following morning, stealing her device. McRae repeatedly returned to her residence, damaging her door, removing furniture claiming it was his, and assaulting her by hitting her head with an air freshener and kicking her leg. These assaults caused bruises, soft tissue injuries, and a head contusion, with her feeling her life was at risk. He later pleaded guilty to charges of harassment, theft of a mobile phone, criminal damage, two counts of common assault, and threats to gain access. He was sentenced to a 20-month suspended sentence for two years, with a six-month curfew, an exclusion order, a requirement to complete a relationship improvement course, and ordered to pay £500 in reparations.