A terrified woman was left scared to go out after a bad-tempered bully left her with nasty injuries following an assault and later bombarded her with threatening messages including chilling “threats of death”.
There was “lots of blood” after he pushed her during a confrontation in the kitchen, causing her to fall against a door frame and cut her head. He punched the wound in a “callous” attempt to make it worse and her ordeal had a “massive impact” upon her, Hull Crown Court heard.
Mark Fleming, 55, of Highfield Avenue, Driffield, denied wounding the woman on May 20, 2023 but he was convicted after a trial before a district judge at Hull Magistrates’ Court on April 8. He admitted harassment between November 8 and 19, 2023 and breaching a non-molestation order on November 16 last year.
Katy Welford, prosecuting, said that Fleming and the woman were in a relationship for 36 years but it came to an end in May 2023. She and her sister and mother were in the garden of her home in Driffield. Fleming returned home and she found him in the kitchen and went to join him.
He made a comment and pushed her, causing her to fall and hit her head on a door frame, leaving a cut. “There was lots of blood,” said Miss Welford.
The woman got up and sat on a sofa but was shocked by what happened. Fleming punched her on the head to the place where the cut was. Her sister took her to hospital, where seven strips were put on her forehead.
Police later arrested Fleming but he was irate and unpleasant. The harassment happened after the woman had left the family home because of the assault. Fleming sent her messages, including threatening ones, and accused her of hiding something. He continued to call her.
A non-molestation order was granted on May 7 last year but, on November 16, he sent emails to her in breach of the order. “The victim believed these messages to be threatening and that he would harm her,” said Miss Welford.
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“Some of the emails had got threats of death.” The woman said that receiving the emails made her uneasy. “Since receiving these emails, I feel very on edge again,” she said.
“I am scared to go out into town in case I see him. I am very stressed about the whole situation. Mentally, it’s had a massive impact on me.”
Ian Phillip, mitigating, said that the offences were all serious. The non-molestation order had now expired. “There have been no further difficulties between the parties,” said Mr Phillip. Fleming had no previous convictions and he had shown genuine remorse.
Recorder Helen Chapman said that the assault was “callous” because Fleming punched the woman on the head where she had been cut. The messages sent by him were “appalling” and the woman was plainly very frightened of him. “You have had time to reflect on your conduct and you accept that how you behaved was entirely wrong,” said Recorder Chapman.
Fleming was given a 20-month suspended prison sentence, a 120-day tagged alcohol abstinence order and 25 days’ rehabilitation. He was ordered to pay £500 compensation and £150 costs and he was given a five-year restraining order.
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