DARLINGTON MAN JAILED FOR VIOLENT AND CONTROLLING DOMESTIC ABUSE
A man named Stuart Lee Wright, of Melsonby Crescent, Darlington, has been sentenced to a 40-month prison term after subjecting his partner to nearly nine months of bullying, manipulative behavior, and violence.Evidence presented in Durham Crown Court revealed that following a brief 'honeymoon' period at the start of their relationship last year, Wright adopted intimidating and controlling tactics, which left the victim in fear of him and his actions.
The court heard that Wright committed two strangulation attacks, one inside her car, which was only interrupted when a member of the public intervened and approached to see what was happening.
During this incident, Wright attempted to dismiss the assault as 'just a little argument' and described the victim's injuries, including hand prints on her neck, as insignificant.
In another assault, he forcefully grabbed her hand, injuring her, but persuaded her not to seek medical help to avoid social services getting involved.
Wright accused her of 'cheating' and subjected her to degrading checks, all while he was heavily intoxicated.
The victim eventually contacted her mother, fearing her hand was broken, which led her to report the abuse to the police.
Wright was arrested on October 4 and refused to answer questions.
He was charged with controlling or coercive behavior, two counts of intentional strangulation, and one of common assault.
He initially denied the charges but changed his pleas to guilty just prior to the trial.
The court was told that Wright has 38 convictions for 67 offenses, including dishonesty, public disorder, and violence, many of which are domestic.
During the sentencing, the judge highlighted the pattern of bullying, physical, mental, and manipulative abuse, emphasizing Wright's awareness of his wrongdoing.
As part of his sentence, Wright was sentenced to three years and four months in prison and was issued an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim.
The court acknowledged the victim's courage in providing her impact statement, with her describing the abuse as escalating from initial civility to violence and manipulation, leading to her diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder and ongoing therapy.
