CHESTER-LE-STREET MAN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE AND ASSAULT
A domestic abuser from Chester-le-Street, Michael Burnip, aged 22, was convicted of multiple violent attacks against his partner.During the incident, he spat in her face, strangled her, and hit her head off a cupboard, even biting her face.
The assaults occurred over two days, with one happening in front of witnesses in September last year, leaving the woman with two black eyes.
Burnip also left her with injuries, including bruises and cuts, and multiple times attempted to control her by grabbing her hair, slapping her, and choking her until she was unable to breathe.
On one occasion, he forcibly dragged her into a van, tried to get her back into it, and after arriving home, he continued to choke her and assault her severely, until she managed to escape and call the police.
The court heard that Burnip, of Auckland, appeared before Durham Crown Court to face charges of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, and intentional strangulation.
He pleaded guilty to these offences.
The judge sentenced Burnip to three years in prison and imposed a restraining order valid for ten years, citing the seriousness and repeated nature of his violent behaviour and describing his actions as behaving 'like a monster'.
Defense argued that Burnip admitted to hitting the woman's head on a cupboard once and causing a cut with his tooth rather than a deliberate bite, citing issues managing his emotions but noting he previously had a long-term relationship without reports of domestic violence.
The judge condemned his actions and emphasized the impact on the victim, highlighting the brutality of the assaults.
