Bully's attacks left his partner fearing for life

'THERE IS A PATTERN OF ABUSE HERE', BRUTE TOLD BY JUDGE

- By ROB KENNEDY

Thomas Patrick

A BULLY who subjected his partner to a series of attacks which left her fearing he would kill her has been jailed.

A judge said Thomas Patrick’s courtroom plea that he was sorry and wanted to be a better man was at odds with his previous victim-blaming and lack of acknowledgement of his wrongdoing.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Patrick, 29, of Newton Street, Gateshead, had been in a relationship with the woman for two-and-a-half years and she described it as “volatile” when he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

On February 10 last year, the couple had been out celebrating her birthday and were staying at the Leonardo Hotel on Scotswood Road, Newcastle.

There came a point where they clashed and he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her from the bed onto the floor and used the palm of his hand to apply pressure to her face, causing a nosebleed, before smashing the hotel room up, including throwing a TV onto the floor, breaking it.

Having been arrested, he was released on bail by police with conditions not to contact the victim. However, on March 6, they went out drinking together and when they got to her home, an argument ensued.