Sunderland man threatened to 'do Raoul Moat' and subjected girlfriend to four-hour attack

A controlling brute who threatened to "do a Raoul Moat" if his girlfriend ever got another man strangled her unconscious during a terrifying four-hour attack.

Callum Hamill had already grabbed his victim by her hair then punched and kicked her repeatedly before he put his hands around her throat during the sickening violence in April.

Newcastle Crown Court the 22-year-old had previously kicked her in the face during an attack after a New Years' Eve party, which also left her unconscious.

Prosecutor Rachael Glover told the court Hamill tried to control what the woman did during their relationship and tracked her movements using an iPhone app.

Miss Glover said: "He would use an iPhone app called Find My iPhone in order to track her whereabouts. He wanted to know the password for her social media accounts and when she refused to provide them he would send her voice notes calling her a ****.

"In addition, she was prohibited from attending the gym due to the clothing she would have to wear, or go to the swimming pool."

The court heard on December 31 last year Hamill kicked the woman in the face as they left a New Years' Eve party and left her unconscious. He also damaged her mobile phone.

He then kicked her in the face again, while she was in bed drinking a glass of water and caused her nose to bleed.

The second attack, which lasted four hours, happened in April, when the victim was ordered to attend Hamill's home or he would "smash her windows".

Miss Glover said Hamill was already "angry" when the woman got there and ordered her to "lie on the bed and shut up".

The court heard the woman ran out of the house but was chased down the road by Hamill, who initially warned "I'm going to knock you out in the middle of the street" but then vowed "I won't hurt you if you get back inside".

Miss Glover added: "While inside the address she was terrified. The defendant grabbed her hair and began punching and kicking her repeatedly.

"He sat on her head which resulted in her sustaining bruising and a black eye.

"He then strangled her, placing both his hands around her throat with such force she became dizzy and ultimately unconscious.

"She does not know how long she was unconscious for but on waking she felt weak and unwell.

"The assault lasted approximately four hours."

Miss Glover said Hamill had warned his victim during the violence "I would do a Raoul Moat over you" and added: "It was not the first time he had made such threat.

"He told her if she ever began a new relationship he would kill her and her new partner."

She added: "During the four hour assault he wouldn't let her leave. She was scared to try in case he assaulted her to the point where she would be killed."

The court heard the victim's dad turned up at the house and when he questioned why his daughter had a black eye, Hamill warned he would "put her in a grave" and attacked his car with a garden fork.

Hamill, of Kirk View, Newbottle, Sunderland, admitted controlling and coercive behaviour, assault, intentional strangulation and two charges of criminal damage.

Katie Spence, defending, said prison could have a negative affect on Hamill and positive intervention in the community could help change his behaviour and protect his future job prospects.

Miss Spence told the court: "He's not going to come out of prison in a better way."

Mr Recorder Nathan Adams sentenced Hamill to 22 months behind bars with a lifelong restraining order.