Thug jailed as Sunderland mum beaten unconscious with her own mobile phone

Robert Wilkinson was not happy with pictures and messages he saw on the woman’s mobile so punched and kicked her to the floor of her Sunderland home before using the device to cause a six inch split to her scalp.

The terrified victim, who had blood running down her face and was struggling to breathe, fled from the house after the attack and flagged down police officers who were so concerned about her state they used their car to transport her to hospital using blue lights and sirens.

The woman, who believed she had broken ribs as a result of being stamped on, suffered a fractured cheekbone, a cut to her scalp that needed up to 15 staples as well as bruising and swelling.

Her children were asleep upstairs when the sickening violence took place.

At Newcastle Crown Court Wilkinson, 37, of Noble Street, Sunderland, who pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, and has a history of using violence towards his victim, was jailed for five years.

Mr recorder William Lowe QC told him: “There seems to be a pattern of violence in this relationship, when you had taken drink.

“It is clear you were a perfectly well behaved, respectful, decent man, taking your responsibilities seriously towards the family when you were sober.

“This, in my judgement, was a sustained assault that came about because you had been drinking.”

The judge said he accepted Wilkinson was genuinely sorry for the way he behaved that night.

Prosecutor Paul Reid told the court the former couple had had a twelve year relationship which ended when Wilkinson had an affair while his victim was pregnant with his child.

During the time they were together, the court heard the woman had called the police a number of times due to Wilkinson being violent when he was drunk.

The court heard the couple remained in touch after the split and she had a brief relationship with another man.

In February this year Wilkinson was at her house and found out she had been on a girls night out the previous week.

He asked to see a photograph from the night out on her phone, which he thenkept hold of and started to trawl through.

Mr Reid said: “He was able to look at other photographs and text messages and he accused her of still seeing the other man.

“He was walking around the room, reading her messages, while she was on the sofa.

“As she was sitting there, he punched her to the left ear. She got up and tried to try to take the phone back.

“They went to the dining room.

“She was still attempting to get her phone.

“He hit her in the face with his hand, the back of his clenched fist.

“She fell to the floor and she was punched and kicked on the floor.

“While lying there, she saw him raise his hands and saw something in them.

“He accepts it was the phone, which he hit her with to the side of her head.

“She was knocked out.”

The woman said in a victim statement: “He hit me on many occasions before, I knew he was capable of being violent but even after all that I didn’t think he would be capable of standing over me, unconscious and bleeding, while my kids are asleep upstairs.”

Barry Robson, defending, said Wilkinson has a good work record, no history of convictions for violence and was able to produce references to his ordinarily positive character.

Mr Robson added: “He accepts the phone was used as a weapon, he didn’t pick anything else up.”