Hartlepool dad assaulted ex-partner with door in violent outburst after baseless allegation over daughter's vaccinations

Benjamin Grimston, 43, pushed his former partner’s front door hard three times when she was stood behind it after dropping off their daughter at home.

The mum was knocked into a wall and injured, and hit her foot when Grimston pushed the door again.

There were two children present who witnessed the aftermath.

Grimston was found guilty of actual bodily harm assault after a magistrates court trial in January.

He was given a suspended prison sentence by Teesside Crown Court on Thursday, April 29.

Shada Mellor, prosecuting, said Grimston would not allow his frightened ex to close the front door after dropping their child off in April last year.

Ms Mellor said: “The defendant then began shouting at her including making threats that the daughter’s general practitioner was going to report her to social services around her not taking their child to have her pre-school immunisations.”

Ms Mellor said the accusation proved to be wrong. She added: “He launched forward using both his hands to push the front door.

“The door hit [the victim] in the face and she fell backwards onto the floor.

"As she fell her left thumb got stuck in the door handle and bent backwards.”

Grimston pushed the door again but missed her, but a third time he hit her foot.

She suffered bruises, swelling and grazes to her nose, hand and foot.

Martin Scarborough, defending, said Grimston, of Raby Road, Hartlepool, stands by his account that he was not to blame.

Mr Scarborough added: “He has no previous convictions for violence. It appears on the face of it to be an isolated incident.”

The judge, Recorder Jeremy Hill-Baker, told Grimston he had “behaved in a wholly unacceptable way”.

He said he was satisfied he did not mean to cause the injuries he did, but had been reckless.

Recorder Jeremy Hill-Baker added: “There were two children who had to see and hear this unforgivable outburst by you.”

Grimston was sentenced to 21 months prison suspended for two years, ordered to do 20 rehabilitation days and given a restraining ordering him to stay away from his ex-partner indefinitely.

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