A Gateshead man has been sent back to prison after he strangled his own sister and rained blows on her “as if she were a punchbag” before attacking their mother.
David Rowan turned on his sibling for “no apparent reason” in their mother’s home, delivering a “flurry of blows”. When he began strangling her, their mum tried to stop him and he responded by attacking her too.
Now the 39-year-old, who was previously jailed for public protection for robbery, has been locked up again at Newcastle Crown Court. He admitted intentional strangulation and assault charges.
The court heard that in July this year, Rowan was living with his mother in Bensham, Gateshead, and his sister lived nearby. On July 21, the mum had been out and when she came home, her daughter turned up to check she was okay as she had been unable to get in touch with her.
Claire Anderson, prosecuting, said: “They were talking when the defendant came in and was angry and shouting at his sister ‘don’t think I’m f taking you home’. She said she had just come to check on her mother, which angered him more.
He threw a flurry of punches as if she were a punchbag, hitting her to the face and body. She fell onto the sofa and had blood in her mouth and pain in her eye. She thought he was going to kill her.
“She then said the defendant leapt on her and grabbed her by the throat and strangled her.” Their mum then tried to intervene and grabbed Rowan, shouting ‘enough is enough’.
Rowan then turned and punched his mum before going to his room and smashing things up. The mum was left with bruising and soreness while her daughter had a black eye, swollen cheek, swollen mouth and a sore neck.
The daughter said in a victim impact statement: “I’m scared of my brother and I don’t want to be near him now. I’ve never felt like this before, I feel really shocked. This was a completely unprovoked attack.”
Her mum added: “This made me feel very anxious. I do now fear for my daughter’s safety and my own safety and I don’t want him living in my home. He has a drug problem and needs help for the sake of himself and others.”
Rowan, formerly of Bensham Avenue, Gateshead, who has 22 previous convictions, admitted intentional strangulation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on his sister and common assault on his mother. He has been recalled to prison on life licence from an indefinite sentence for public protection for a second offence of robbery in 2005 and for the latest offending he was jailed for 18 months.
David Callan, defending, said Rowan has mental health issues and added: “He is annoyed at himself that he turned on those who, over the years, have helped him.”