A man who brutally assaulted his former girlfriend and knocked her unconscious has been jailed.
Jack Bushell, 22, subjected his ex-partner to a terrifying ordeal as he repeatedly punched her in the face and head until she lost consciousness.
Trying to escape her attacker, Jade Gallagher was chased into the street and subjected to further torment as her neighbours watched on in horror.
Bushell, of South Shields, admitted carrying out the attack last month (October) which left his former girlfriend with multiple head injuries, a suspected broken nose and bruises all over her body.
Today (Monday, November 19), Bushell was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment and handed a restraining order at Newcastle Crown Court.
Detective Constable Sara Stewart, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was a vile and despicable attack which left the victim hospitalised with serious injuries.
“Bushell put his former partner through a horrific ordeal. He turned up at her house in the early hours of the morning, woke her up and then carried out a sustained and unprovoked attack.
“The injuries that the victim suffered at Bushell’s hands were not just physical, and I would like to praise her for the bravery she has shown throughout this case. I sincerely hope today’s sentence can allow her and her family to seek some kind of closure.
“Domestic abuse of any kind is totally unacceptable, but the severity and merciless nature of this attack proves that society is a safer place with Bushell behind bars. He must now live with the consequences of his actions.”
The court was told how Bushell turned up at the victim’s address on Broadfield Place, South Shields, shortly after 5am on Sunday, October 21.
After banging at her front door, the 26-year-old was then dragged by her hair and repeatedly punched and kicked by Bushell. The attack was so brutal that it caused her to vomit and drift in and out of consciousness.
Trying to escape her abusive ex-partner, Jade managed to stumble out into the street and call for help – but was chased down and subjected to further abuse in front of horrified neighbours.
She was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital with a number of injuries, including bruises all over her body and a cut to her head.
In a victim impact statement, Jade said: “I thought Jack was going to kill me. I’m sure that if I had not managed to escape, or if my front door had been locked, he would have killed me.
“He showed no signs of stopping and was completely out of control. Even when in the street, with neighbours watching, he continued to assault me.
“I am so scared of him. The attack was totally unprovoked and the punching was relentless. Even when I was unconscious, he was still hitting me as I came around.”
