'Jekyll and Hyde' character who strangled girlfriend had incident caught on Ring doorbell

A man who strangled his girlfriend after smashing her oven door and punching her in the head has been jailed.

Sam Brown grabbed his former partner by the neck and marched her into her property after she fled during a prolonged attack.

Cole Cockburn, prosecuting, told the court that on February 19 this year Mr Brown had lost his temper while at the woman's home and smashed her cooker door.

He left the property but returned the following morning when he attempted to cuddle her in bed. However, she told him that she couldn't forgive what he had done the previous evening.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Brown then flew into a rage and delivered "several blows to the back of her head". During the horror attack she fell down the stairs. 

The woman escaped from the house but the 40-year-old chased her, grabbed her by the neck and forced her back inside while telling her: "Get in there now, you horrible little b****."

Disturbing footage of the incident was caught on a Ring doorbell.

The horror attack finally came to an end when she broke free and found refuge with a neighbour.

The woman suffered a bloodshot eye, bruising, a cut to the nose and a split lip.

In a victim impact statement she said: "I'm terrified he will get released, come back to my house and kill me."

The court heard the pair were in a relationship from late 2022 until February 2024.

Brown was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation, criminal damage and common assault.

The common assault related to an incident on Feb 8 2024 when he lost his temper and threw cans and hair straighteners at the woman.

Sam Faulks, defending, told the court that Brown had struggled with alcohol during the relationship.

He said: "It is a deeply concerning case.

"The person who appears in the dock today is a very sober Mr Brown.

"The fact that he is now sober allows him to reflect on the magnitude of his position and the loss and the damage that has been occasioned by his behaviour."

He added that he was "remorseful" and that alcohol had a "Jekyll and Hyde" impact on his life.

Brown pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage but denied the other two charges. 

He was found guilty of intentional strangulation and common assault at South Tyneside Magistrates Court following a trial on April 5.

The court heard that Brown has six previous convictions for 16 offences.

Her Honour Judge Julie Clemitson told Brown that he was unable to control his temper on a number of separate occasions.

She said: "It is very easy to see how that can go desperately, desperately wrong".

But she added: "You are now abstinent again and that gives me some confidence that you can maintain that position for a prolonged period of time."

Brown, of Prestwick Close, Washington, was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment for the assault occasioning bodily harm and intentional strangulation to run concurrently.

He was handed another one month imprisonment for the criminal damage and one month imprisonment for common assault to run concurrently.

He was also given a five year restraining order.