Drunken man who gave Hartlepool girlfriend black eye in row sentenced at Teesside Crown Court
A man who gave his girlfriend a black eye after a night’s drinking has been spared jail.
Gary Sheel, 38, slapped the victim to the face after an argument broke out at her Hartlepool home when they returned home from a night on the town around Christmas last year.
Teesside Crown Court heard Sheel assaulted her after she took some money from his wallet.
The victim suffered bruising and swelling to her eye, but did not go to hospital.
Sheel admitted causing actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.
He was sentenced on Friday to a 12-month community order after spending around eight weeks in prison on remand.
His lawyer Lee Goodchild said Sheel had found it a frightening experience and has been a “wake up call”.
He added alcohol was an issue that Sheel was willing to address.
Judge Richard Clews also ordered Sheel, of Malvern Crescent, Darlington, to take a relationships programme, probation and 60 days’ monitored alcohol abstinence.