'˜Manipulative' teen jailed for string of attacks on girlfriend

Jordan Lewis Scott assaulted the Sunderland woman on four occasions, head-butting, hitting and spitting on her and pulling her by the hair, leaving her feeling “mentally tortured”, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

The 19-year-old also admitted harassing his own mother, breaching a suspended sentence, stealing a postal package and damaging a wall.

Prosecutor James Palmer said the assaults took place on June 23, November 7, December 6 and December 7.

He said: “The assaults were committed against a lady, with whom the defendant was in a relationship at the time.

“The first assault is a head-butt which caused and injury to her eye. There was bruising and swelling.”

The court heard the victim told police that Scott ‘gets angry very quickly’ and had caused her black eye following an argument.

Mr Palmer said the second assault took place after Scott asked the victim to iron his clothes.

He said: “He hit her in the face and she says she slaps him.

“She gets grabbed by the hair by the defendant.”

Mr Palmer said the next assault took place on December 6, adding: “He’s carrying a bottle of pop. He catches up with the complainant and sprays her with the entire contents of the 2-litre bottle of pop.

“She is soaked through and has to get on the bus to work.

“The next day she is on her way to work with a colleague.

“They have a bit of a discussion and the defendant is challenging the complainant about contacting the police the day before.

“She tries to get past him to get to work and her supervisor comes out to check on her as the defendant spits in her face.”

The victim said in a statement that the incident left her feeling intimidated and embarrassed because her work colleagues had seen what happened.

Mr Palmer said: “He is manipulative and brings her down and then gets angry if she doesn’t do what he says.”

The harassment of Scott’s mother took place between January 21 and February 8, this year.

The court heard Scott went to her home in Hendon on numerous occasions, demanding money and threatening to burn the house down and smash up his uncle’s car.

On February 8, Scott was outside the property when he agreed to sign for a parcel containing a leather jacket his brother had ordered online, which he then kept for himself.

The court heard the criminal damage took place on October 3, last year, at a supported accommodation in Sunderland, run by Together for Children.

Mr Palmer said Scott kicked a door open during an argument with staff, which caused a hole in the plasterboard.

He also breached a suspended sentence by failing to carry out unpaid work.

Scott, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to four counts of assault, harassment, criminal damage, theft, and failing to comply with a suspended sentence order.

Joanne Gatens, defending, said that while Scott accepts the carried out all four assaults, Scott he does not agree that he headbutted the woman, and said it was a ‘coming together of heads’.

She said: “He accepts he covered her in drink, he accepts he spat at her.

“He accepts he had her by the hair, but not that he dragged her around by it.

“I suspect that are mental health issues. You can see how emotional he is.”

Ms Gatens said the victim does not want a restraining order and that she had wanted to retract her statement to police, but that she was too late as Scott had already pleaded guilty.

She said: “She very much wants to be in a relationship with Mr Scott.

“He loves her very much. He’s very remorseful for what he’s put her through.”

Scott was sentenced to 16 weeks’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay £75 compensation for the damaged wall and the leather jacket. He was also handed a conditional discharge for six months for the harassment.

The bench made one-year restraining orders in respect of his girlfriend and his mother.