A man’s efforts to scupper court proceedings he was facing for domestic violence back-fired and earned him an extra 18-months behind bars.

Martin Ward Vickers received a 30-month prison sentence at Carlisle Crown Court in early May after admitting controlling or coercive behaviour in a relationship, criminal damage and harassment.

It related to an abusive two-year relationship with a woman while living in the Aspatria area of Cumbria, up to September last year.

The Northern Echo: Martin Vickers' 18-month sentence imposed at Durham Crown Court will only begin after a previous

Durham Crown Court was told that on the eve of an earlier court appearance during those proceedings, Vickers and the woman subject of those charges spent time together, drinking, on February 14, Valentine’s Day, during which she expressed a wish not to assist the prosecution.

Read more: Court told of Aspatria woman's ordeal with controlling partner

Philip Morley, prosecuting, said Vickers suggested she should call another witness in the case to ask her not to go to court the following day.

Later, Vickers mistakenly thought she was following his wish when he saw her on the phone.

But, when the call ended and she told him she had not done as he suggested, Vickers became angry and swore at her.

Fearing violence, the woman retreated to a bedroom, but Mr Morley told the court that Vickers went up and dragged her from the bed, punched her and pushed her to the floor, causing her to bleed profusely.

Vickers got a towel to try to stem the blood flow, but by now a neighbour, overhearing the commotion, had called the police.

Mr Morley said as officers arrived, Vickers told the woman to leave the house and go down the lane.

Despite feeling sick and disorientated she followed his instructions and left the property.

The officers found her hiding in a bush covering herself only partly with a towel.

She suffered a heavily bruised right eye, a cut to the head and an injury to her right upper arm.

Vickers was arrested and made no comment when interviewed.

But the 58-year-old defendant, formerly of Cambridge Court, in Bishop Auckland, admitted doing an act intending to pervert the course of justice and assault causing actual bodily harm, at a plea hearing on June 29.

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Appearing via video link from nearby Durham Prison for today’s (Thursday July 20) sentencing hearing, Vickers contested some of the prosecution outline given to the court by Mr Morley, claiming he had not dragged the woman off the bed and protesting his innocence to the controlling and coercive behaviour offences, even though he admitted them at court in Carlisle.

Judge James Adkin told him this was not the Court of Appeal, and the court was not dealing with those matters.

When Vickers continued to protest Judge Adkin told him it was not, “an interactive discussion” and asked to have the defendant’s volume muted on the link.

Michele Turner, in mitigation, said despite his issues with the previous matters, her client did admit the two latest offences having seen the prosecution photos of his ex-partner’s injuries.

Relating to the offences, she said it had been a day of heavy drinking and the defendant had little recollection, except that his former partner did attend voluntarily, and they enjoyed a nice time together until the argument arose.

She said the defendant also sustained an injury arising from the confrontation.

Judge Adkin said he had read the woman’s impact statement and the “consequences” have been, “dreadful” for her, over and above the physical injuries she suffered.

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The judge referred to the defendant’s record featuring nine previous offences of violence and said the Probation Service background report described, “a significant pattern of domestic violence."

He imposed a total sentence of 18 months for the latest two offences, but only to be served on conclusion of the 30-month prison term Vickers is already serving, imposed at the court in Carlisle, in May.

A restraining order was put in place by the court in Carlisle, prohibiting him from contacting the victim for the next 15 years.