Ferryhill man jailed for breaching suspended sentence for an offence of stalking
A Ferryhill man carried out an intoxicated assault on his estranged partner while she was driving.
The prosecution said that Hussain received a stalking conviction over numerous phone calls made to the victim on 28th of October.
Durham Crown Court heard on Monday that once the woman had fled from the car, Hussain took the wheel himself. The incident took place just weeks after Hussain was given an eight-week suspended prison sentence for stalking the same woman.
The prosecution said Hussain was carrying two bottles of whisky when he began rowing with his estranged partner over why he could not accompany her to Birmingham.
Hussain had turned up at her home at 8:15p.m. on the 21st of November in the presence of another male.
The couple are reported to have got into the woman’s Range Rover, with Hussain continuing to be aggressive as she attempted to drive the vehicle.
The prosecution stated that at one stage she dropped her phone after having activated the ‘SOS’ button.
Hussain picked the phone up from the footwell and told a call handler responding to the alert that nothing was wrong and even claimed that the crying of his estranged partner who could be heard in the background, was actually a child.
The victim eventually had opportunity to escape, fleeing to a nearby shop.
The court heard that Hussain struck and smashed the back window of the car with his fist, before taking off in the vehicle. Which was later discovered by the police, abandoned and in the middle of the road, stinking of alcohol and the back door stained with blood.
The victim made an impact statement to police after the incident, but the court heard that she subsequently retracted it, and the prosecution did not make any application for a restraining order.
Hussain, 30, of Ferryhill admitted common assault, taking a vehicle without consent, criminal damage, and driving without insurance at a plea hearing last week.
The court heard on January 30 that Hussain’s record includes serious offences of violence, and a conviction for supplying drugs in 2016, Hussain served a four-year sentence for this crime.
The court heard how Hussain claims to have struggled while on remand in custody and asked the court to take a lenient course.
Hussain said he was “appalled” with himself over his behavior, addressing Judge James Adkin via video link from Durham Prison.
He said his weeks in prison on remand have been “horrific”, saying he has experienced racism and threats.
The judge told him: “You were a man who just couldn’t let go of your relationship.”
Hussain was sentenced to 15 weeks, Judge Adkin also imposed the full eight weeks of the suspended sentence, making them both run consecutively. Hussain is to serve a total of 23 weeks.
Hussain is to be banned from driving for six-months following his release.
