Man sentenced for abusing partner in row over baby

Judge Amanda Rippon said domestic abusers who attack partners "even once" were the "lowest of the low"

A man who headbutted his partner during an hour-long assault after a row about their baby has been sentenced.

Martin Thain, 32, left his partner of 15 years with a head wound after dragging her by her hair and throwing objects at her during an argument about their eight-month-old child, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for two years with 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Amanda Rippon said there was no excuse for his actions and domestic abusers were the "lowest of the low."

'Genuine remorse'

Thain, of Warkworth Crescent, Ashington, launched the attack at about 08:30 BST on 20 May after his partner asked him to wrap their baby in a blanket, prosecutor Annelise Haugstad said.

She said there had been pushing and shoving in the "toxic" relationship before but that was the first time it had escalated to blows.

Thain pinned his victim to the floor, dragged her by her hair and headbutted her, Ms Haugstad said.

He then threw objects at her while she was sitting on the sofa before tackling her as she tried to climb the stairs, smashing her head against a wall twice.

The violence ended when he threw a can at her head and left, the court heard.

A pre-sentence report said Thain had expressed "genuine remorse", the court heard.

'In the gutter'

Judge Rippon said it was "refreshing" to find a perpetrator of domestic abuse who accepted everything he did and made "no qualifications" or "victim blaming".

"I can't bring to mind a case at all where that's happened before," the judge said, telling Thain: "I see people feel sorry for themselves but I am satisfied in your case I am looking at genuine remorse."

The judge said she could "well understand the stresses" of having a new baby but that did "not even begin to excuse" his actions.

She said the hour-long attack would have been "very frightening" for his partner and she had needed medical treatment for her injuries.

Judge Rippon said: "A man who takes his hands to his partner, even if it's only once, puts himself down in the lowest of the low and [doing it] in the company of a baby you really are deep down in the gutter."

She warned Thain any breaches of his suspended sentence order would be dealt with by her and she would send him to prison.

"Let us not meet again," she told him.