South Tyneside man who threatened to kill his girlfriend while on a suspended sentence is put behind bars

Christopher Hay, 38, of Hepscott Terrace, Westoe, South Shields, also sickeningly warned he would make her watch as he killed her son.

Hay raged the appalling words moments after bashing her with a windscreen sun visor he had ripped from her car after she drove in a bid to ease his anger.

He committed the offences while on a suspended prison term for attacking a former partner’s boyfriend with an 18in machete in South Shields last November.

The dad-of-two had used the terrifying blade to confront the man on the doorstep of his home in Holbein Road, Whiteleas, while drunk on vodka.

His latest attack and threats, in Boldon on Friday, June 2, left his new partner living in constant fear, she said in a statement to police.

Retail worker Hay initially denied the assault but pleaded guilty to that charge and to fear of provoking unlawful violence on the day of his trial.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Zoe Passfield activated 16 weeks of his eight-month suspended prison term.

She also jailed him for six consecutive weeks for provoking fear of unlawful violence and to four weeks concurrent for the assault.

Judge Passfield criticised him for what she said was his selective memory about the assault and for refusing to take responsibility for his actions.

The judge told Hay she had suspended the machete attack sentence due to him pledging to reform his behaviour.

But she concluded defence claims Hay had changed for the better in the intervening 12 months could not be true because he continued to deny elements of what he had done.

Prosecutor Lee Poppett revealed Hay offended again after he and his then partner argued after they dropped her adult son off at a Metro station.

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In a bid to calm him, she drove to Boldon via the Coast Road, but he continued to be verbally aggressive.

Mr Poppett said Hay grabbed the visor and hit her with it, causing pain to her neck and forcing her to stop the car.

Hay climbed out the window and told he would “kill her and take the skin from her bones”, Mr Poppett said.

The prosecutor also said Hay made a threat he would make her watch as he killed her son – and then fled.

David Forrester, defending, urged Judge Passfield to spare Hay prison, stating he had complied well with court-ordered engagement with the Probation Service.

He also said his client had taken steps to seek help for his mental health issues and that personal gains made would be lost if imprisoned.

Addressing the judge directly, Hay said he was no longer taking cocaine or consuming alcohol.

During his appearance in court last year, it was revealed he was drinking a litre of vodka a day and was described as “high risk” by Probation.

There were no court costs or victim surcharge.