Sunderland man bit girlfriend's finger 'down to the bone'

A man who bit his girlfriend's finger "down to the bone" during a terrifying attack has been put behind bars.

Stuart Hanson clamped his teeth onto two of the victim's digits and lacerated the tendon in one and caused a burst joint capsule in the other.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the woman still cannot bend one of the damaged fingers and has reduced feeling in it.

The shocking violence was the second time Hanson had attacked the woman, who had also been assaulted by him months previously.

Hanson, 62, of West Hall Close, Sunderland, admitted causing grievous bodily harm and assault and has today been jailed for 40 months.

The court heard the "blows and bites" attack happened on January 8 last year, after Hanson sent her a series of increasingly "angry and self pitying" messages.

Judge Tim Gittins told Hanson: "You were clearly looking for trouble with her."

The court during the violence Hanson punched the woman to the floor then kneeled over her and continued to assault her.

Judge Gittins said: "Ultimately, she put her hands up trying to resist your assault on her.

"You bit down on her two fingers causing substantial injury."

Judge Gittins said the woman was left "battered and bruised" and added: "This included damage to one finger, causing laceration of the tendon underneath the skin. You had effectively bitten down the bone.

"On another there was bursting of the joint capsule.

"Both were painful and took time to heal."

The court heard the first assault happened on June 15 2022, where Hanson punched the victim, more than once, when trouble flared after she returned home from a funeral.

In a victim statement, which she bravely read in court herself, the woman said she worries about when Hanson is released and fears he may come to her home.

She added: "I'm scared of what might happen if he did."

She added that one finger has not healed properly, has reduced feeling in it and she still cannot bend it.

Shaun Routledge, defending, said Hanson saved someone's life while in custody on remand, works as a mentor to other inmates and trains people in the prison gym.

Mr Routledge added: "He cannot have done more to set about his own rehabilitation and lower the risk or re-offending."

The court heard the relationship had been "turbulent", with police called by both parties in the past.