Hartlepool man jailed at Teesside Crown Court for 'appalling' domestic violence offences

Abusive Peter Hope twice attacked a woman he was in a relationship with and later sent her abusive messages on social media to try to get her to drop the charges.

Teesside Crown Court heard the couple met online and everything was fine to begin with.

But he later turned violent, said Philip Morley, prosecuting.

The victim was distressed when she discovered that Hope had used her phone to share an intimate video with another woman of the couple.

Around a month later, he assaulted her in the bedroom when he punched her so hard she thought he had dislodged her jaw.

A few months later he attacked her again while drunk after she challenged him about playing loud music at 3am.

Hope punched her again, tried to bite and kick her and dragged her around the living room.

The frightening incident ended when the woman’s daughter rang the police.

While under investigation, Hope contacted the victim via Facebook Messenger when he called the woman and her mother “grasses” and “suggested they should both drop the charges.”

He admitted disclosing a private sexual image, two counts of actual bodily harm, intending to pervert the course of justice, and sending malicious communications.

A probation report said Hope showed a “complete lack of empathy” to the victim.

In mitigation, it was said the 44-year-old was of previous good character and pleaded guilty to the charges.

Amrit Jandoo, defending, said; “He does accept now that his behaviour was appalling.”

Hope, of Catherine Grove, Hartlepool, was jailed for 90 weeks.