Man attacked partner in front of crying children

Alexander Hindmarsh was jailed for four years

A man who launched a vicious assault on his then girlfriend in front of her screaming children has been jailed for four years.

Alexander Hindmarsh, 35, was filmed by one of the children attacking the woman at her home, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Weeks later he climbed through a window into her home and subjected her to an hour and a half-long ordeal during which he throttled her, dragged her around by her hair and threatened her with a smashed bottle.

Hindmarsh, who had previously committed domestic abuse against others, admitted offences including strangulation, assault causing actual bodily harm and threatening with a weapon.

Hindmarsh, of Martin Terrace in Sunderland, was "motivated by jealousy" when he went to the woman's home on 31 March and demanded to see her phone, prosecutor Michael Bunch said.

The court was shown a video of Hindmarsh attacking the woman in her living room while her two children were crying and screaming at him to stop.

He repeatedly grabbed the woman by her hair, pushed her down on the sofa and shouted he would "smash" her head in, the court heard.

The attack only ended when one of the children "bravely" called 999 despite Hindmarsh telling them not to, Mr Bunch said.

'Appalling risk of death'

Hindmarsh repeatedly went back to her home over the following weeks before climbing in through a first-floor bedroom window on 7 September, the court heard.

He chased after the woman as she attempted to flee, grabbed her by the throat and repeatedly pulled her around by her hair, Mr Bunch said.

He also smashed a glass bottle and threatened to stab her with it, the court heard.

The attack lasted about an hour and a half before the woman's relatives arrived.

Recorder Alistair MacDonald KC said the video of the first attack clearly showed the children were traumatised by watching their mother being attacked, adding: "Who knows what effect this will have on those children."

He said during the second assault the woman must have been "absolutely terrified", adding strangulation posed the "most appalling risk of either permanent damage or death" to the victim.