Spennymoor man jailed for assault, burglary and stalking ex

In one instance, when both were rowing after drinking, Brandon Comby’s partner ran to the window of their Spennymoor home to shout for help, on October 25, last year.

Durham Crown Court was told the woman was worried how he would react to being asked to leave and her concerns were justified, as Comby ran up to her, punched her to the face and bit the back of her head.

Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said she suffered bruising and swelling to an eye, and a bite mark to the back of her head.

Mr Hedworth said on November 3 she told him she wanted to end their relationship and, again, asked him to leave.

Having initially refused, he did eventually say he would go and he left with a bag, but he came back later and so she shut the door to stop him entering.

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Mr Hedworth said she repeatedly asked him to leave, but Comby replied: “Make me”.

He pleaded with her to rekindle the relationship and became angry at her refusal.

Fearing what he might do, the frightened woman went to a neighbour’s house for help, but Comby grabbed her and threw her away from the door.

He then went back to the woman’s home and said he was going to burn it down and kill her.

Comby kicked at the door to get in, while carrying a jerry can, which spilled across the floor, before he flung it at the back door.

As she screamed for him to leave, Comby grabbed her and said: “You just want me to get locked up.”

Three days later he came tapping at the window and she looked out of an upstairs window to see Comby, who was asking for some of his clothing.

She told him she would give it to his father, but he threw something at the window, which hit the glass, and made a threat.

Comby left before the police arrived, but he was arrested and was remanded in custody having made 78 missed calls to the woman.

While on remand in custody, he wrote two letters to her, asking her to, “do the right thing”, adding he would never give up on her.

Comby, 27, of Stratton Street, Spennymoor, admitted burglary, assault causing actual bodily harm and a charge of stalking, causing a fear of violence.

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In her victim statement, read to the court, the woman said she, “simply wanted to move on with her life”.

She said she had been petrified she could have been killed and it had affected her mental health, leaving her struggling with her emotions.

The woman added that when she received the letters from prison she felt he was never going to leave her alone.

Having read a Probation Service pre-sentence report on Comby, Judge James Adkin told defence counsel Chris Morrison: “It takes a dim view to this defendant and his attitude to women”.

Mr Morrison said almost a year since the events of last autumn, his client, who has remained in custody, is now remorseful.

“He apologises for his involvement in this rather sorry saga.”

But Mr Morrison told the court that while Comby has been in custody his ex-partner has, “actively pursued correspondence with him”, and visited him in prison on September 30, where they had, “a frank and civilised discussion about relevant matters.”

Mr Morrison said this was unsolicited on the defendant’s part and the victim has now expressed a desire to “reconcile”, having not asked for a restraining order to be imposed.

Referring to the offences, Mr Morrison said the burglary was not a “forcible entry”, but, “more an act on impulse during a domestic brouhaha.”

Mr Morrison said during more than 11 months in custody the defendant has been a "model" inmate, and now has “trusty” status, having been named “Prisoner of the Month” in July.

Passing sentence, Judge James Adkin described the defendant’s offending as, “an unpleasant catalogue of abuse”.

But he said despite this, “she seems to seek a reconciliation, having visitied you in prison.”

He told Comby: “When you are sober and not in a relationship with this woman you are a model prisoner.”

Imposing a 43-month prison sentence (three-years and seven-months), Judge Adkin said he would not make a restraining order on the wishes of the complainant.

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But the judge added that he would recommend that a condition of the defendant’s licence upon release from prison should be to forbid Comby from contacting his ex-partner.

“It seems that when you are with her you are prone to using violence upon her.

“There is an escalating pathway and the two of you being together in the community seems like a bad idea to me.”