Hartlepool man who made 'chilling' threats to kill partner jailed at Teesside Crown Court

Michael Kettlewell, 39, strangled his partner at the time with a charging cable during a terrifying ordeal, held a large kitchen knife to her throat and tried to put her head underwater.

He also made a series of disturbing threats including that he would kill her and even make it look like suicide by injecting her with a potentially fatal dose of heroin.

Prosecuting barrister Jeremy Barton told Teesside Crown Court: “The defendant told her that he was going to kill her and hat he had arranged for his friends to collect her body.

"He said space had been made in the freezer for the body to be stored. She believed she was going to die as promised.”

Mr Barton said Kettlewell told the woman he had heroin ready to inject her and it would look like suicide.

In the bathroom, he attempted to put her head under water, pulled her over broken glass, and threatened to pull her teeth out with a pair of pliers.

The police arrived after being contacted by the victim’s concerned daughter.

Mr Barton said: “She was in a dreadful state when police found her.”

A number of bruises were visible on her.

Kettlewell ran away but was arrested at his home three days later where police found two knuckledusters and a butterfly knife.

He later pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and possession of offensive weapons.

The court heard the victim had suffered “immeasurable stress” since the incident. She added: “I hope he receives justice for what he put me through that evening and ever since.”

In mitigation, the court was told Kettlewell has used his time in prison while on remand constructively and has started to take steps to address the risk he poses to future partners.

Referring to a letter Kettlewell wrote to the judge, Stephen Constantine, defending, said: “He accepts responsibility for what he has done.”

Judge Chris Smith said it was a “prolonged and terrifying” assault adding the threats he made were “chilling”.

He sentenced Kettlewell, of Mildenhall Close, Hartlepool, to three years in prison and gave him a 10-year restraining order.