Wingate man jailed for brutal assault on pregnant partner

WINGATE MAN JAILED FOR BRUTAL ASSAULT ON PREGNANT PARTNER

A man strangled his pregnant partner and threatened to push her down a flight of stairs during a "cowardly and unprovoked" attack.Lee Barnes, 31, had been out drinking when he turned up at his then-partner's home and began shouting abuse that made "no sense." He then launched a violent assault involving punching and strangling her.

Barnes picked up a kitchen knife and threatened to stab himself before declaring he would throw her down the stairs.Barnes, of North Road West, Wingate, appeared at Durham Crown Court to be sentenced for assault occasioning actual bodily harm after being convicted at a magistrates' court.

The court heard that the attack occurred on March 29 when the woman was 21 weeks pregnant.

Prosecutor Matthew Hopkins stated that Barnes had been in an on-off relationship with the victim since 2021.

During the incident, he picked up her sofa and flipped it, then grabbed her by the throat.

He also pressed his head against her and strangled her until her vision blacked out, and she felt herself twitching.

Afterward, he refused to leave, dragged her by the neck to the stairs, punched her, and left with her house keys, which he threw into the street.The woman sustained swelling and tenderness and went to hospital, but there was no harm caused to the unborn baby.

Barnes, who had one previous conviction for shoplifting, was arrested later.The court was told Barnes had mental health issues and was on a 10-year mental health care plan.

His defense argued that Barnes was "very lightly convicted" and that he had moved away from the area.

The judge described the attack as "cowardly and unprovoked" and said it was "the result of misplaced jealousy." Barnes was sentenced to 20 months in prison and a five-year restraining order was imposed.