Jail sentence for Hartlepool man who threatened to cut woman's throat with machete and burn her house down

Mark Turner, 27, had been drinking and taken cocaine when he assaulted the woman during the frightening incident.

Teesside Crown Court heard that during an argument in which he assaulted the woman, Turner picked up a machete and threatened her when she said she would call the police.

Prosecutor Ian West said Turner grabbed her and started pulling her around causing the sleeve of her jacket to be ripped off.

Mr West said: “When [the victim] was telling him she would call the police he picked the machete up again and said ‘if you do I’ll slit your throat’ and that he would burn her house down.

“She managed to get out the house and rang the police who attended.”

The court heard how the couple had been in an on-off relationship for about two years before rekindling it shortly before the incident on February 22 this year.

They met up on the night and went to the party together.

The victim’s injuries from the incident consisted of reddening to her forehead and leg.

In a victim personal statement she said: “The whole incident has left me feeling horrible. I honestly believe Turner will continue to make my life difficult and I now live in fear of further assaults.”

Turner, of Willow Walk, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to common assault and damaging property.

He was given a 10-week prison sentence but is expected to be released shortly after being in custody since February 24.

Martin Scarborough, defending, said in mitigation: “He has a record but nothing for violence. It has been his first time in custody.

“The issue with the machete is he did say that was there. The relationship is at an end.”

Turner was also given a five-year restraining order not to contact the victim in any way.

Judge Howard Crowson said he took into account the time Turner spent on remand adding: “That is not to trivialise the matter.

“I take assaults upon women in domestic settings very seriously as all courts do.”

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