Pregnant woman needed plastic surgery after partner savagely bit her face, grabbed her throat and punched her

Liam Gascoigne flew into a rage after his victim accused him of taking drugs.

Teesside Crown Court heard Gascoigne had convictions for assaulting the same woman before and he had previously also persuaded her to withdraw complaints.

Gascoigne, who was first convicted of a crime aged 12, knew she was pregnant when he left her needing plastic surgery after slapping and punching her, grabbing her by the throat and then biting her cheek and ear.

The judge in the case described it as “a controlled, sustained, and calculating attack”.

“They have been in an on-off relationship for several years,” said Victoria Lamballe, prosecuting.  

“Gascoigne was aware she was ten weeks pregnant with his child at the time he attacked her.

“He slapped her to the face and head, then grabbed her by the throat and punched her.

“There were two bites, one to the ear and one to the cheek.

“Fortunately, there has been no permanent scarring, although the ear injury required plastic surgery.

“The victim also had to spend two nights in hospital on a drip due to fears the wound may have been infected.”

The court heard police found a cannabis plant growing in Gascoigne’s bedroom in his mother’s house.

In a victim statement read to the court, she said: “Liam has always been violent towards me, but this was worse than ever before.

“He has usually persuaded me to withdraw complaints, but I am determined to stand up to him this time.

“I am frightened that when he gets out of prison I will have to move.”

Gascoigne, of Welldeck Road, Hartlepool, admitted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm on October 31, and possession of a Class B drug.

He has previous convictions for assaulting the same woman, and for robbery, harassment, and other offences of violence.

Mark Styles, defending, said in mitigation: “Mr Gascoigne has pleaded guilty, although he chanced his arm to the extent of waiting to see if she would turn up to give evidence.

“The injuries were nasty and unpleasant, but thankfully not as serious as one sometimes sees in the context of the offence to which he has pleaded guilty.

“Mr Gascoigne is a troubled man, having started his criminal career at the spectacularly early age of 12 with a drugs possession offence.

“He is still relatively young, and knows he needs to sort himself out sooner rather than later.”

Judge Colin Burn jailed Gascoigne for five years and three months.

The judge told him: “You have a long history of drugs and domestic violence.

“This was a controlled, sustained, and calculating attack on your partner, who you knew was pregnant with your child.”

Gascoigne was made the subject of an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting his victim.