Drunken yob jailed after kicking his girlfriend as she lay on the floor of her South Tyneside home

Kyle Hammond, 28, had to be told what he had done after her committed the attack in South Tyneside, magistrates were told.

He was already on licence from prison for an affray offence when he carried out the attack on Saturday, June 6, at an unidentified address in the borough.

Hammond has now been put behind bars for 16 weeks for assault and a further four weeks, to run concurrently, for causing criminal damage on the same day.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court District Judge Kathryn Meek told him: “You should be thoroughly ashamed of your behaviour.

“This was at someone’s house, who you were in a relationship with. Your only excuse is that you were intoxicated.

“The situation was brought about by you and you alone are responsible for it.

“You kicked her when she was on the floor. There’s no doubt it crosses the custodial threshold.”

Despite the assault, the court heard Hammond’s victim wished to continue their relationship.

Val Bell, defending, said: “He was intoxicated on the night in question and has only limited recall and struggles to believe that he could behave this way.

“He has accepted that his behaviour was as it was alleged on the night in question. His record of offending is not a great read.

“He’s ashamed of what happened and can’t believe that he behaved that way towards a woman.

“She wishes to remain in the relationship with him. She is an adult and that is a matter for her.”

The court heard Hammond was on licence until September 15 for affray and had now been recalled to prison to serve the remainder of that sentence.

His new sentence will not extend time he is due to spend behind bars.

Hammond, of High Lanes, Heworth, Gateshead, was given a further week’s imprisonment, also to run concurrently, in way of payment for fines and costs he owed the court.

He must also pay a £128 victim surcharge but there were no court costs.

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