Hartlepool man jailed at Teesside Crown Court for strangling woman and teenager just after coming out of prison

Michael Cronin, 50, had just been released from prison when he drunkenly attacked a woman he was staying with in her own home.

Teesside Crown Court was told Cronin forced the woman’s thumb in a peeler while she was chopping vegetables in the kitchen causing it to bleed.

He apologised, but then became aggressive. Prosecutor Christopher Bevan said: “The defendant placed his hands around her neck and strangled her for approximately 60 seconds.”

She struggled to breathe and feared she would lose consciousness and screamed at him to let go, said Mr Bevan.

Cronin punched her in the face when she made a comment to him. He left but returned later and threatened to kick the door in.

The same day, again while drunk Cronin also strangled a 17-year-old youth after calling the victim over in the street.

He put his hands around the youth’s neck for a few seconds before the victim broke free and punched Cronin, known by the nickname Crowbar, in self defence.

Cronin, of Rugby Street, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional strangulation, one of actual bodily harm and threatening to damage property.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said alcohol was at the root of his offending and he was taking steps to address it.

“He apologises wholeheartedly to the woman who he understands was trying to help him,” said Mr Constantine.

Recorder Aisha Wadoodi said there had been a “worrying trend” of violence on Cronin’s record recently and jailed him for 12 months.