Thug headbutted girlfriend in hospital just three days after birth of premature son

Jordan Archer, 18, attacked her on Wednesday, March 6, in a visitors’ lodge at Sunderland Royal Hospital, where they had been staying after she went into labour 29 weeks into her pregnancy.

The attack went unreported and the next day Archer, of Gladstone Street, Blyth, assaulted her again after forcing his way into a ladies’ toilet inside the hospital where she had taken refuge from him.

He pushed her against a dispensing machine, injuring one of the 18-year-old mum’s hands, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard, and was arrested soon afterwards.

At the time, she was walking to the maternity unit to see her newborn son.

Sentencing Archer to 20 weeks imprisonment, District Judge Paul Currer said: “This is one of the most unpleasant common assaults you could imagine. It’s hard to imagine a worse case of battery.

“You apologised, but a couple of days later you again lost your temper when she sought refuge in a ladies’ toilet in the hospital.

“In all circumstances, this offence is a custodial sentence.”

The couple had been together for three years and she had fallen pregnant soon after they split up and got back together, it was said.

In a statement read to the court, the mum, who is now living in Scotland, said: “I’m so scared of Jordan that I can’t take any more assaults.

“Jordan has made me feel worthless and unhappy since early in the relationship.”

Neil Hodgson, defending Archer, who pleaded guilty to two assaults, said: “He simply couldn’t cope with the situation.

“It’s his first time in custody, it’s been a shock to his system.”

Archer was given the 20-week jail term for the first attack and a 15-week concurrent sentence for the second and was made subject to a three-year restraining order.

He is due to be released in a week, having spent 18 weeks in custody.

The yob is also awaiting sentence at Newcastle Crown Court after pleading guilty to two offences of dangerous driving in February.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world.

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you.