A Northumberland man has been jailed for nine years for a degrading two-hour attack on a woman that left her with skull fractures and in fear for her life. Stewart Bestford, 46, of Epsom Drive, Ashington, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
Attack details
The court heard that Bestford choked the woman until she passed out, then when she came round he hit her with repeated backhanded blows. He then urinated on her, told her to remove her clothes, and choked her again until she lost consciousness. As she regained consciousness, he kicked her in the stomach, headbutted her, and bit her nose.
In a further attack, he grabbed her by the arms, "rattled" her, kicked and punched her. There was "blood everywhere" and Bestford told her: "Look what you've made me do." The woman told him "something bad had happened" to her, but he "spoke to her like she was a dog" and said she could not seek medical help.
Injuries and impact
Police came to her rescue and she was taken to hospital, where she was found to be badly injured. Her hair had been pulled out, she was black and blue, had swelling and bruising, was concussed and confused, and had fractures to two parts of her skull. These were likely caused by a kick or stamp, or a fall onto a hard surface.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said she thought she would "end up dead" and added: "I was in fear for my life. I was degraded and humiliated by his actions."
Sentencing
Judge Penny Moreland sentenced Bestford to nine years in prison with an extended licence period of four years, concluding he is a dangerous offender who poses a high risk of causing serious harm.
