COUNTY DURHAM MAN BROKE PARTNER'S SHOULDER WHEN PLAY FIGHT TOOK A TURN
A man has spent more than four months in custody after using excessive force in a play fight with his partner, a court heard.Durham Crown Court was told that Johnston was on the floor and pulled his partner’s legs, causing her to also fall onto the carpet, where he then pulled her for a short distance.
Martin Towers, prosecuting, said she complained that her arm was hurting and felt a strong pain in her left shoulder.
She stopped messaging the defendant over the following weekend and when he turned up at her home on the Monday (June 9) with his mother, the victim refused to allow them into her home.
Although she had not sought treatment at that stage, she was visited by the police that day and given a Clare’s Law disclosure option to learn of Johnston’s previous offending history.
Due to the bruising on her arm, and the pain she was still suffering, she was persuaded to seek medical attention for her injuries and attended a walk-in centre the following day.
She was advised to go to hospital where it was found she had suffered a fracture displacement of the shoulder for which an operation was required.
As she was still unable to lift her left arm above her chest earlier this month, she felt unable to return to work due to the continuing pain.
Because of the large scar on her arm she said she has chosen not go out much since the incident.
