Her attacker is now ‘looking towards writing a book’, his barrister told the court
Preston Cockburn appeared at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A heavy-drinking bully viciously attacked a woman during a violent scuffle, including strangling her with both hands and leaving her with a “nasty” injury to one of her fingers. The damaged finger was left disfigured despite an operation to try to straighten it out and the woman later suffered flashbacks and sleeping problems, Hull Crown Court heard.
Preston Cockburn, 53, of Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, and another offence of intentional strangulation on June 28 last year. He also admitted breaching a restraining order on September 25 and breaching a suspended prison sentence imposed for assault causing actual bodily harm, carrying a loaded firearm and possessing cocaine.
Julia Baggs, prosecuting, said that Cockburn met the woman about five days before the assault. She was outside the back of St Stephen’s shopping centre, Hull, at about 10pm. She had finished her shopping and was talking to a man in the car park.
Cockburn punched the man before turning his attention to the woman. He grabbed and squeezed her throat with both hands, restricting her breathing and leaving her gasping for air. “He pushed her into a bush, where she scraped her knee,” said Miss Baggs.
“When she got up, she tried to defend herself but he punched her to the body numerous times. He grabbed her to restrain her.” During that scuffle, the woman suffered an injury to her little finger, which had been left permanently disfigured.
This was despite efforts to straighten it, by having an operation to insert a wire and bolt, and six weeks of physiotherapy. She also suffered bruising and grazes, had difficulty sleeping and had flashbacks.
Police arrived and arrested Cockburn but he was abusive. In another incident, he breached a two-year restraining order made on May 21 last year by going to the home of a previous girlfriend in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear.
He was found hiding under a bed. He was later remanded in custody on October 16. He also breached a two-year suspended prison sentence imposed on April 26, 2024 by not turning up to see the probation service in Hull. His compliance was limited.
Cockburn had convictions for 84 previous convictions, including nine for violence, most recently from 2024. He had 35 convictions for dishonesty and 15 breaches of court orders.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Cockburn had a poor criminal record and these made the latest offences worse. “He is a man who has suffered a drug and alcohol problem for a very long time,” said Miss Scott.
Cockburn had previously been addicted to Tramadol for back pain and he was on methadone for nine years. “Alcohol has been a problem with him since he was young,” said Miss Scott.
Cockburn became homeless and moved to Hull because there was more support here than in the north-east. “He fully accepts that, at that point, he started drinking heavily again,” said Miss Scott.
“He acknowledges that he is a man who can’t just have one drink. He has an addiction. He is going to have to be completely sober.
“He has no memory of this offending whatsoever. When he was shown the CCTV, he realised that it was him. He was shocked by that. He has done 113 courses while in prison. He is looking towards writing his own book.” This was as a way of trying to help other offenders.
Deputy circuit judge Timothy Clayson told Cockburn: “This is all down to drink but that’s not an excuse. It makes it worse. All of this was in breach of a suspended sentence.” The attack on the woman during a scuffle caused a “nasty injury” to her little finger.
Cockburn was jailed for three years and he was given a five-year restraining order. The prison term included a consecutive one year for breaching the suspended sentence.