A man who strangled his girlfriend and threw her into parked motorbikes after a day at a fair has been handed a suspended prison sentence. Ben Chapman, 27, attacked the woman at her home in June 2025 following an argument at the Chester-le-Street Steam and Vintage Fair.
Attack following fair argument
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Chapman and his partner had been drinking at the fair on June 28, 2025, when they argued and decided to break up. The victim returned home, but Chapman later followed, demanding keys to some motorbikes.
Prosecutors said Chapman smashed the woman's patio door by throwing a brick into it, causing her to come outside. Within seconds, he grabbed the victim, who was more than a foot smaller than him, and placed his hands around her neck, leaving her struggling to breathe.
Details of the assault
Cainan Lonsdale, prosecuting, said Chapman, the victim and his family had been drinking at the fair, and the pair fell out because of his behaviour and broke up. The woman returned home, and Chapman messaged to say he was coming over to pick up some things, despite being told not to.
Mr Lonsdale said Chapman attended the address at 10pm, found a loose brick and threw it at the patio door, causing it to smash and for the victim to come outside. He continued: "Thereafter, [the victim] describes being grabbed by the throat by the defendant."
"She describes the height discrepancy with her being 5ft 3ins and the defendant 6ft 4ins. The defendant squeezed very hard with his left hand as he was hitting her." She said she was struggling to breathe and, at that point, shaking and struggling to see. The defendant grabbed her with both hands and continued to squeeze around her neck.
The court heard that Chapman then picked up the victim by the scruff of the neck and threw her against some bikes in the garden.
Impact and sentencing
In a statement, the woman said the attack had left her deeply traumatised and needing to move house. She said: "The brutality of the attack has had such an impact on my mentality and ability to work. It's meant that almost every aspect of my life has been affected and still is over a year later. After leaving my home and finding somewhere new to live, I still do not feel safe."
Jason Smith, defending, said Chapman was a hardworking man, who currently cared for his grandmother and had no history of violence. Mr Smith added: "He deeply regrets that he chose to go to the house to retrieve his items or property that night instead of going the next day and having a reasonable conversation with the victim in this case. He went there and became angry and he shouldn't have done."
Chapman, of Bradman Street, Town End Farm, in Sunderland, ran from the scene but was later arrested and charged with criminal damage and intentional strangulation. He pleaded guilty to the former but denied the latter until the day his trial was due to start when he admitted both charges.
Giving Chapman a 22-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Recorder Georgina Nolan said: "It's a shame you're troubling the court, bearing in mind the person you are outside of this offence. It's clear to me that your behaviour that night was poor and very harmful." Chapman was also ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and was made subject of a two-year restraining order.
