Sunderland thug attacked girlfriend and threatened to throw her from A19 bridge after claiming she starred in porn film

A man who saved his partner when he resuscitated her after a heart attack told her "I wish I had never brought you back to life" when he assaulted her just months later.
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Stanley Dodds, 54, performed CPR when his girlfriend suffered a cardiac arrest, which was brought on by a seizure caused by a long-term health condition, last October.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the poorly mum spent four months in hospital and in an attack just weeks after she was discharged, Dodds, who was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as a result of saving her, subjected her to "callous" violence, "designed to humiliate and terrify" her.

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Prosecutor Ian Cook told the court Dodds had been watching pornography on March 16 and accused his partner of 19 years of staring in one of the films.

Stanley DoddsStanley Dodds
Stanley Dodds

In the shocking violence that followed, Dodds punched, stamped on and threatened his victim with weapons, poured lager over her, drove her to a bridge and threatened to throw her in the river and forced her to stand in the garden in the cold for two hours.

Mr Cook told the court the woman believed Dodds "resented" giving the care she required when she got out of hospital in February.

On the night of the violence, Dodds accused his girlfriend of "being one of the women in the video he was watching" and made "bizarre comments" about men "coming over the back fence" when he was out of the house.

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Mr Cook added: "At this point, the assault commenced. There was two punches to the head of the complainant, who was then dragged by the hair to the ground.

"He stamped on her legs."

The court heard further punches and stamps followed and Dodds, who then poured a can of beer over his victim, started striking the area of her heart, where she had a device fitted to restart it.

Mr Cook added: "He was saying 'I wish I had never brought you back to life".

After threatening his victim with a knife, Dodds drove her to a bridge on the A19 and warned he would "throw her in the river", hit her legs with a hammer and hit her head off the steering wheel.

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Mr Cook added: "They returned home and the defendant made her stand in the garden for two hours in the cold. When she was allowed back in the assault continued, with further punching."

The court heard the victim needed a blood transfusion after the attack and had widespread bruising, with a laceration to her forehead.

Dodds, formerly of Hepburn Grove, Sunderland, admitted assault.

Judge Sarah Mallett jailed him for 22 months and issued a five-year restraining order to keep him away from the victim.

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Judge Mallett said the use of the beer and making the victim stand outside was "degradation and humiliation" of her.

The judge said the attack was "callous ill treatment designed to humiliate and terrify her" but she accepted Dodds was "very mentally unwell at the time".

Robin Patton, defending, said Dodds was overwhelmed with "delusional illness" and has responded well to treatment since.

Mr Patton added: "The doctors agree that after the attempt to save his partner's life he has reacted with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"He contributes his current mental illness to that event."