'Foaming at the mouth' South Shields thug jailed for ex-girlfriend attack

The case took place at Newcastle Crown Court.

Casey Bell let himself in through the victim's back door in Hebburn on July 5 while "foaming at the mouth" with "eyes glazed" and seemingly "under the influence of some sort of drug".

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 24-year-old launched a violent assault during his hour-long stay at the house, which he was banned from going to by a lifelong restraining order imposed on him last year.

During the violence, Bell started crying and stabbing himself with a blunt butter knife.

Prosecutor Neil Jones told the court: "He assaulted her by sitting on top of her and punching her then saying 'I don't want to do this'.

"She begged him to stop.

"He continued, stating she had made him do it."

The court heard Bell started crying during the violence and told his victim he wanted to "be a family" with her and their young child.

Mr Jones added: "He jabbed himself with his insulin then picked up a blunt butter knife and began to stab himself with it.

"She told him he was behaving like a psycho.

"He began to kick her in the ribs, punch and kick her."

The court heard the attack happened just days after Bell turned up at the house at the end of June when the victim had a friend at the house and workman repairing a boiler.

During that 10-minute stay, Bell started fighting with the victim's friend and the gas engineer was forced to intervene to bring the trouble to a stop.

Bell, of Grays Walk, Biddick Hall, South Shields, admitted two charges of breach of a restraining order, common assault and possessing a small amount of cannabis found which was found when he was arrested.

Mr Recorder Keith Miller sentenced him to 12 months behind bars.

The judge told him: "I hope, and I am sure it is the case, that you are ashamed of the way you behaved.

"Take advantage of the help which will be there when you come out of prison, hopefully you will change your life and you will be able to not only be a good partner or husband to a woman but also a good father."

David Comb, defending, said Bell had a troubled upbringing and was introduced to cannabis at just 11 and left school at age 13.

Mr Comb added; "It is not coincidental that at the time he was assaulting his partner he was stabbing himself and foaming at the mouth, filled with self loathing."