County Durham man jailed for 'reprehensible' attack on former partner

Paul Edwards, who has no previous offences on his record, is now starting a 28-month prison sentence for the events of November 28, 2021, at the home he had previously shared with the former partner, in Peterlee.

Durham Crown Court was told they had been in a relationship until nine days earlier, when he moved out of the property.

Matthew Hopkins, prosecuting, said over the following days there were some attempts at reconciliation, and, on the night of November 28, there was text communication, but Edwards told his ‘ex’ that he was not coming home as he was with other girls at a club.

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Later that night, however, she heard footsteps outside her home and saw a shadow through the window.

Although she tried to hide, Edwards shouted for her to open the window and then continually banged on the door until she let him in.

Once she did, he punched her in the face and locked the door, putting the key in his pocket.

Mr Hopkins said Edwards asked for the woman’s phone so he could check the messages, then made offensive remarks about her and slapped her on the nose.

Although she retreated to the kitchen, he followed and grabbed her, punching her multiple times to the head and face, despite her pleading with him to stop as he was hurting her, to which Edwards replied: “Good”.

He grabbed her by the hair and throat, squeezing tightly to the point where she thought she may pass out, before resuming the punching, all in front of a young child she was holding.

Edwards eventually left, having threatened to “burn out” her family from their home, pledging to then come back and kill both his ex-partner and himself.

He left with her phone, locking both her and the child in the bungalow, and it was only ten minutes later that they managed to get out via a window, raising the alarm at a neighbouring house where there was a light on.

Police were called and the victim was taken to hospital suffering cuts, bruising and swelling to her face and arms, plus soreness to her ears and head, while the child had a slight swelling and suffered facial bleeding.

When arrested the next day, Edwards told police he had put his former partner’s phone down a drain.

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Mr Hopkins said when interviewed he admitted attacking her and taking her phone, but he denied falsely imprisoning her or striking the child.

In her impact statement, the victim told police she thought she would not get out of her home alive and said she could not believe how Edwards reacted.

The 35-year-old defendant, of Station Road, Seaham, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and theft.

Judge Jo Kidd questioned why he was not further charged over injuries to the child, or false imprisonment.

Samuel Sharp, representing the defendant, said he had no previous convictions and pleaded guilty to the offences at the first opportunity.

“Clearly the conduct of Mr Edwards that day was reprehensible.

“He’s had time to reflect and is extremely upset by his actions.

“He accepts he needs professional help, so he doesn’t react like that again.”

Mr Sharp said the defendant wanted to “truly apologise” to his former partner.

He said the defendant worked as a sales advisor for an outsourcing company until leaving his job in June 2020, due to stress.

Mr Sharp said the defendant has since been diagnosed as bi-polar, and is on medication, which, “overall, keeps him in check.”

He added that the defendant is now in a new relationship and hopes to find employment.

While accepting that the case merited a custodial sentence, Mr Sharp urged Judge Jo Kidd to pass a suspended sentence, so the defendant could seek help in the community to deal with his issues.

But, imposing the immediate two-year and four-month prison sentence, Judge Kidd told Edwards: “Your behaviour that night has every aggravating feature that can be imagined in the context of a case of this sort.

“You, effectively, imprisoned her in her own home.

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“You were under the influence of alcohol and there were elements of controlling and coercive behaviour when she realised she could not escape from you.”

Judge Kidd issued a ten-year restraining order, forbidding Edwards from trying to contact or approach his former partner.

The judge also asked Mr Hopkins to seek an explanation from the senior chief crown prosecutor over the policy for charging in cases of domestic violence, urging a review of the charges brought in this case.