Woman suffered broken fingers in shocking Christmas attack by then-partner

A mum suffered two broken fingers in a shocking Christmas attack at the hands of her now ex-partner who she feared was trying to kill her.

The victim and Steven Ashcroft had spent the evening of December 25 2021 at the pub, where he questioned her fidelity.

After they arrived home, Ashcroft damage the front door, "smashed things up" in the bedroom and there was some "pushing and shoving".

Prosecutor Neil Jones told Newcastle Crown Court as the trouble progressed into the early hours of Boxing Day, Ashcroft threw items, including a mirror and a hairdryer at the victim and added: "Somehow she ended up on the bedroom floor with him kneeling on her neck.

"He did that twice, causing her to say to him 'I can't breathe, what are you doing?'"

The court heard by the end of the violence, the victim had two broken fingers on her right hand, bruising and swellings, lumps and bumps and was in pain.

She said in an impact statement the pain in her fingers could be "agony" and added that the pain she was in meant she had to take time off from her new job.

The woman added that she and Ashcroft had planned to get married and he went from being the "love of my lifetime" to "evil and manipulating".

Ashcroft, 45, of Coach Road Estate, Washington, admitted criminal damage and assault.

Vic Laffey, defending, said the couple had attempted to reconcile after the

offences but "things went wrong" and the relationship is completely over, with no contact between them.

Miss Recorder Davies sentenced Ashcroft to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with alcohol monitoring requirement, 200 hours unpaid work, £175 fine, £500 compensation, £150 costs and a five year restraining order.

The judge told him: "The complainant told police she thought you were trying to kill her."