MAN JAILED FOR THREATENING TO CHOP GIRLFRIEND'S HEAD OFF
A man from Newcastle has been sentenced to prison after he unintentionally left a voicemail message for his probation officer in which he threatened to decapitate his partner.During an incident in Wallsend, North Tyneside, in May, Mark Oliver assaulted his girlfriend by pulling her hair, resulting in bruises on her face.
Officers responded to the scene, resulting in his arrest.
The following Monday, the probation officer discovered Oliver had mistakenly left her a threatening voicemail message where he declared an intention to cut off his partner’s head with a knife.
Subsequently, Oliver left ten threatening voicemail messages for his former partner, vowing to make her life miserable.
At the time, he was on licence after serving a portion of a four-and-a-half-year sentence for attacking his girlfriend with a claw hammer.
He was re-arrested and returned to prison.
Oliver’s criminal record includes 23 separate offences.
Residing without a fixed address, Oliver has been sentenced to nearly two years behind bars after admitting to assault, threats to kill, and malicious communications in court.
Prosecutor Neil Pallister revealed that Oliver’s partner first contacted emergency services just after midnight on May 22, claiming he was verbally abusive and unwilling to leave her home.
She told the dispatcher she had exited the house and was waiting outside in the garden.
The police were slow to arrive; she called again about 34 minutes later, indicating Oliver was inside her home shouting and she was locked outside.
An officer arrived at 1:20 a.m., recording the scene with body camera footage.
Inside, Oliver and the victim were present in the lounge.
The officer initially questioned the victim, who hesitated to speak.
She then went upstairs, where she disclosed that Oliver had pulled her hair and left facial bruises but did not give further details.
Defense lawyer Andrew Walker stated that Oliver had been released from prison in May 2022 and was compliant with probation until his stepfather’s death in April.
He added: "Unfortunately, there was a relapse because of all that involving alcohol and drugs.
They had been issues in the past." Oliver was sentenced to 20 months for threats to kill, three months for malicious communications, and an additional 14 weeks for assault, with all terms running concurrently.
