These are just some of the Darlington men who have found themselves in Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court or  Teesside Crown Court so far this year.

They include, a rapist, domestic abusers and drunken thugs, among those sentenced for violence.

Anthony Baron-Palmer

A violent thug who punched and kicked his wife before standing on her neck until she almost passed out has been jailed for his abusive behaviour.

Anthony Baron-Palmer flew into a rage after he accused his wife of ignoring him while talking on her phone to a friend following a night out.

The 39-year-old grabbed the mobile phone out of her hand before launching the attack on her as he believed she was ignoring his sexual advances.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Baron-Palmer applied that much force when he stood on his wife’s neck that she thought she was going to die.

In a victim impact statement, she said: “This was the worst night of my life, for your husband to punch you and stand on your throat until nearly passing out, is not the actions of someone who loves you.

“That night I thought I was going to die.”

The Northern Echo: Anthony Baron-PalmerAnthony Baron-Palmer (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Baron-Palmer, of Lowther Drive, Darlington, pleaded guilty to non-fatal strangulation and common assault following his violent outburst on November 26 last year.

Judge Richard Bennett sentenced Baron-Palmer to 22-months in custody for both offences.

 

Dragoos Stanescu

A man who threatened his victim with a knife after he was slapped across the face following a dispute outside a town centre pub has escaped immediate custody.

Dragoos Stanescu reacted angrily to the slap and went home and armed himself with a knife before confronting the man outside The Gate pub in Darlington.

The 27-year-old’s brother took the serrated knife off him before dumping it in a nearby bin as the accused fled the scene.

Teesside Crown Court heard how CCTV footage of the incident led police to the home of Stanescu’s girlfriend where he was arrested.

Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said the trouble flared when the defendant and his brother were in the town centre drinking together.

“They were outside The Gate pub when an altercation took place between the defendant and a member of the public,” he said.

Stanescu, of Brunton Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and using threatening words or behaviour following his arrest on February 24 this year.

Elisha Marsay, mitigating, said her client was of previous good character and had been living in this country trouble-free for several years and only ever intended to scare the other man.

Judge Deborah Sherwin sentenced Stanescu to six months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

 

Bradley Richmond

A booze-fuelled thug who threatened to smash a truck into his former partner’s home after he accused her of cheating has been locked up.

Bradley Richmond flew into a drunken rage after spending the day drinking with his brother and friends.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 28-year-old became abusive towards his then-partner forcing her to leave the Darlington pub and head to her mother’s home.

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said the defendant bombarded the woman with abusive messages, including threats towards her mother, so sought refuge at a friend’s home before returning to her own house.

Miss Buck said the defendant smashed two windows at the property before police arrived and arrested him.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had never seen him that angry before and was fearful for her safety.

Richmond, of Auckland Avenue, Darlington, pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and two counts of causing criminal damage.

Judge Richard Bennett sentenced the father-of-one to 20 months in custody suspended for two years and made him subject to a five-year restraining order to protect his victim.

Richmond was ordered to attend a Building Better Relationship course, made subject to a 90-day abstinence order, told to attend 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, and pay his victim £300 in compensation.

The judge added: “That should keep you busy at the weekend and keep you out of the pub which has been the cause of your offending.”

 

Kane Martin

A man who terrorised his partner for several months in a campaign of bullying and abuse has been jailed.

Kane Martin was arrested after he kicked and spat at the woman when she refused to go out and buy him booze but she told police this was just the latest assault she had suffered at his hands.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 36-year-old’s behaviour changed when he couldn’t find work and turned to alcohol.

Elisha Marsay, prosecuting, said neighbours called the police in March when they heard a woman screaming and a young girl shouting ‘get off my mam’.

Martin first became violent in July last year when he kicked the woman in the face and broke her nose leaving the victim requiring corrective surgery to help her breathe.

The Northern Echo: Kane MartinKane Martin (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Martin, formerly of Eastbourne Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one of common assault between July last year and March this year.

Jonathan Gittins, mitigating, said his client’s remand in custody had given him the ‘wakeup call’ to address his alcohol problem.

Recorder Taryn Turner branded Martin a ‘violent thug and bully’ as she jailed him for 16-months.

“The police were alerted to your bad behaviour,” she said. “On each occasion, the complainant in relation to your violence was your former partner.

“You are a violent thug and bully, and in drink you are quite capable of raising your feet and lashing out and causing not insignificant injuries.

“The last offence occurred in front of her daughter who you threatened to kick in the head.”

Martin was also made subject to a five-year restraining order.

 

Mark Burr

A friend’s ‘leaving do’ turned sour for one drinker when he poured a pint over a pool table after becoming involved in an argument.

Mark Burr was out celebrating with his friend before he moved to Spain when the trouble brewed in the Turks Head in Darlington town centre last month.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard how the 43-year-old was assaulted outside the pub when he left the premises after damaging the pool table.

Burr, of Geneva Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage on April 18.

District Judge Steven Hood said: “You went back into the pub for one more drink, it seems like one drink too many, if that is the way that you are going to behave.”

Burr was fined £200 and ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the pub manager.

The judge added: “You are getting yourself back into employment, maybe it is time to put your efforts into that and not drinking.”

 

Kai Wilson

A controlling and abusive man has narrowly avoided being jailed following protracted campaign of coercive behaviour which ended with him repeatedly punching her in the face.

Kai Wilson would bombard his now ex-partner with calls at work while regularly accusing her of being unfaithful and abusing drugs.

The 23-year-old was made subject of domestic violence prevention order due to his behaviour but breached it when he met her to pick up his dog on February 1 this year.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant punched her at least six times to the face while she was driving and she was forced to pull over as her vision was impaired.

Emma Wright, prosecuting, said Wilson’s paranoia was fuelled by his cocaine use and resulted in him checking the loft for a person he accused her of being unfaithful with.

His behaviour turned violent when the victim was giving the defendant a lift to his mother’s house, the court heard.

Wilson, of Coleridge Gardens, Darlington, pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour over a five-month period, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and theft of a mobile phone.

Duncan McReddie, mitigating, said his client fully accepts responsibility for his behaviour and now understands that his cocaine use was causing his paranoia.

Judge Richard Bennett told Wilson that his behaviour had caused the breakdown of his relationship with his former partner.

Wilson was sentenced to two years in custody suspended for two years after he had already served time in prison while on remand.

He was ordered to attend a Building Better Relationship course, subjected to a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement, 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and told to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

The defendant was also made subject to a ten-year restraining order to protect his victim.

 

Danny Oxley

A drunken thug who attacked his partner after she tried to escape after he screwed her front door shut just days after he admitted threatening to stab neighbours has been jailed.

Danny Oxley grabbed his partner around the neck as she tried to flee her flat before he dragged her back inside the property and ‘launched' himself at her, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 32-year-old’s attack caused the woman to hit her head against the wall leaving her with a gash above her eyebrow which required gluing at hospital after they had spent the night drinking together in Darlington.

Jessica Butterell, prosecuting, said the attack happened three days after the defendant was arrested following reports of a domestic incident and he kicked a police officer in the arrest as they tried to get him into the van.

The Northern Echo: Danny OxleyDanny Oxley (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Oxley, of no fixed abode but formerly Darlington, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article, using threatening words or behaviour, assaulting an emergency worker, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Kelleigh Lodge, mitigating, said her client has significant mental health issues and reacted to threats being made against him when he picked up the knife.

Judge Richard Bennett sentenced Oxley to a total of 34 months for all offences.

Oxley was made the subject of a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting the woman for 10 years.

The judge added: “You grabbed her and placed your hands around her neck. You launched yourself at her which caused her to lose her balance and hit her head against the wall.”

 

James Wilson

A violent man who repeatedly raped and beat a woman has been branded a ‘dangerous young man’ as a judge passed a 14-year sentence.

James Wilson threw boiling water at his victim, attacked her with a baseball bat and published an intimate photograph of the woman during a campaign of abuse.

The 22-year-old would regularly threaten the woman and her family to ensure she did as he required, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said on one occasion Wilson punched the woman in the face before throwing ammonia at her.

He said on another occasion the defendant threw a kettle of boiling water at her and beat her around the legs with a baseball bat leaving her with a broken ankle.

The court heard how the defendant had a previous conviction for burglary on the same victim’s home and was serving a suspended sentence at the time of some of the offences.

In a victim personal statement, the woman told the judge that she was now too afraid to stay in her own home as she feared what Wilson would do to her.

The Northern Echo: James WilsonJames Wilson (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Wilson, of Honeypot Lane Caravan Site, Darlington, was convicted of two counts of rape, grievous bodily harm with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, disclosing private sexual photographs and coercive and controlling behaviour following a trial.

He had previously pleaded guilty to sending threatening messages and breaching a restraining order on the day his trial started.

Judge Chris Smith called the Darlington rapist a ‘dangerous young man’ as he sentenced him to 12 years in prison with two years on extended licence.

“You are a dangerous young man. Your inability to control yourself led to you engaging in manipulative behaviour, culminating in those violent assaults and serious sexual offending,” he said.

Wilson was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order to protect his victim and was told to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life.