Binman bit, punched and kicked partner after row broke out at their South Tyneside home

A South Tyneside man bit, punched and slapped his partner during a violent assault – a court heard.
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Christopher Oxberry, 40, pleaded guilty to the assault when he appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard the incident took place at the family home in Hebburn’s Whickham Road on Tuesday, October 22.

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Lorna Rimell, prosecuting said the assault happened after an argument broke out.

Christopher Oxberry, 40, pleaded guilty to the assault when he appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.Christopher Oxberry, 40, pleaded guilty to the assault when he appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
Christopher Oxberry, 40, pleaded guilty to the assault when he appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

She said: “He pushed her using both hands into a unit in the bedroom. He pulled her towards him by the shoulders and pushed her again.

“She said ‘don’t start with the kids in the house’.

“He has slapped her across the face. He grabbed her by the hair and tried to drag her out onto the landing.”

Ms Rimell said the victim ended up on the bed and as she was trying to struggle free Oxberry bit her hand and broke the skin.

“He punched her to the head and the side of the body.”

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She said: “She managed to get out and call 999. This was quite a violent and protracted assault.”

Ms Rimell said Oxberry, who works as a refuse collector, told police he remembered some of the incident, but not all the details.

She said he told police: “If my partner said that’s what I have done, she wouldn’t lie about it.”

In a statement, the injured woman said: “I don’t see myself as a victim, I can handle stuff, but it has just gone too far tonight and he has got out of control.

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“I am not scared of him, but he is not himself when he is drunk.”

Val Bell, defending, said Oxberry told her the incident is hazy because of the alcohol he had drank.

She said: “It does appear to be a one-off as such. I think there has certainly been arguments and disagreements about his drinking.”

Ms Bell said: “He fully accepts his behaviour on that night was entirely wrong.”

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She said her client says alcohol played a big part and he has asked for help to address the problem.

She said: “He has tried to stop drinking on his own and he can’t, he needs help.”

The case was adjourned until November 18 at 10am for a pre-sentence report and Oxberry was granted conditional bail.