A Sunderland man assaulted his partner after drinking heavily and demanding money for more alcohol
Sunderland: A man named Mark James, who has a pretty serious criminal record, got into a nasty situation with his partner after drinking about 18 cans of lager. He was desperate for more booze and got aggressive when she wouldn’t give him £10 for it.
So, here’s the deal: Mark had already convinced her to hand over £20 for alcohol earlier. But after he drank it all, he started demanding more cash. She finally agreed to give him £10, but then he upped the ante and wanted £20 instead.
When she said no, he lost it. He threw beer on her, punched her multiple times, and even twisted her arm while making threats. The whole thing only stopped when a neighbor heard the commotion and knocked on the window, telling him to back off.
Now, this guy, who’s 52, has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for attempted robbery. The judge made it clear that he’s a serious threat to women. The victim, who’s 63, had been with him for about three and a half years, but their relationship was rocky because of his drinking issues.
On that fateful day, after he had been drinking, he started demanding money for cigarettes and more alcohol, which led to a big argument. She eventually gave him £20, but he came back an hour later, already drunk and looking for more trouble.
When she told him to leave, he said he would if she gave him another £10. But when she refused, he got aggressive again. He even took her phone when she tried to call the police. At one point, she put £10 on the table, but he just kept raising his demands.
Things got really scary when he turned off the lights, likely to hide what was happening. He threatened to break her arm if she didn’t give him the money and even picked up a glass vase like he was going to hit her. He twisted her arm and kept punching her in the head while she begged him to stop.
It was only when the neighbor knocked that she managed to escape. After the police arrived, he was still making threats, saying he’d get her when he got back. The poor woman was left with bruises and a lot of fear, saying she felt like he wanted to kill her.
Despite everything, she’s now saying she wants to keep in touch with him and doesn’t want a restraining order. Mark, who lives on Shaftoe Road in Sunderland, has a long history of violent offenses, including a rape conviction from 2014.
In court, he admitted to attempted robbery and got a sentence that includes an extended license period. His lawyer said his actions were driven by his alcohol addiction, and he took full responsibility for what happened that day.
