Paranoid South Shields man left partner with 'bone-deep' wound after hitting her over head with bottle of Bellabrusco

The woman was left with blood pouring down her face after Nathan Ariss, 35, hit her forehead with the wine bottle, in the mistaken belief he had swung it at "lads who were out to get him".

Prosecutor Neil Pallister told Newcastle Crown Court the victim was left with a one-inch cut to her forehead, which was an "open wound, deep to the bone" and had to be stitched at hospital.

The court heard despite the injury, the couple have since got back together and the victim did not support the prosecution.

The victim told police in a statement Ariss had never been violent to her before and added: "I would like to say Nathan Ariss assaulted me as he thought I was someone else because he was under the influence of cocaine and paranoid."

Ariss told police he believed there were armed men who had followed him to the house to assault him and that he had seen one of them, who had a knife, while he was at the local shop.

The court heard police checked CCTV in the area and "none of his account was supported".

Mr Pallister added: "He accepted swinging the bottle. He thought it hit lads who were out to get him and had not realised it had hit his partner."

Ariss, who has previous convictions, read a letter in court, where he appeared via video link from prison, where he explained he was "deeply sorry"for what happened and added: "I am committed to tackling the issues in my life.

"I believe drug rehabilitation would help me tackle my substance abuse. Prison doesn't work. It creates more and more issues."

Ariss, of Caxton Walk, South Shields, who has been in custody since he carried out the attack in February, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding.

Mr recorder John Aitken sentenced him to a community order for two years with drug rehabilitation.

The judge told him: "It is thought you must have been acting out of some drug induced misapprehension at the time."

The judge said he accepted Ariss had been remorseful since the attack and is motivated to change but was warned he must "control himself".