'I thought he was going to kill me': Shocking pictures show woman left battered and bloodied as former boyfriend launched naked attack in South Shields street

Jack Bushell beat 26-year-old Jade Gallagher unconscious in her home and continued the violence even after she managed to escape outside.

At the time of the assault the 22-year-old was the subject of a restraining order to keep him away from Miss Gallagher as a result of a previous conviction for stalking her.

At Newcastle Crown Court Bushell, of Soane Gardens, South Shields, who has previous convictions for offences against another ex, admitted assault and breach of a restraining order.

He has now been jailed for 28 months and given a lifelong restraining order to stay away from Miss Gallagher.

Judge Sarah Mallett told him the attack was "relentless" and added: "You pose a high risk of re-offending.

"You pose a high risk of harm to females you are in a relationship with,"

Judge Mallett said Bushell was "totally out of control" when he attacked Miss Gallagher and added: "She thought she was going to be killed."

The court heard the attack happened at her home on October 21, six weeks after he was in court and given a community order, and the restraining order, for stalking Miss Gallagher by pestering her with phone calls and climbing through her bedroom window during the night.

Prosecutor Claire Anderson told the court the former couple had both been at the same party that night and the violence flared back at her house.

Miss Anderson said: "He stepped towards her and punched her repeatedly to the face and head, using both hands.

"She ran upstairs to find solace in her bedroom but was followed by him.

"She states she had never seen him so angry and out of control.

"He pushed her to the floor, repeatedly kicking and punching her.

"She describes a barrage of punches.

"She describes herself falling in and out of consciousness."

The court heard Bushell "paused" his attack, which allowed Miss Gallagher to get downstairs.

But Miss Anderson added: "He grabbed her hair from behind, twisted it with his wrist and continued to assault her.

"Effectively he was holding her head with one hand and repeatedly punching her to the face with the other."

The court heard Miss Gallagher managed to kick out at Bushell's stomach and winded him so she was able to run out into the street.

Miss Anderson said: "She describes making as much noise as possible, shouting 'help', 'help'."

The court heard a neighbour heard Bushell warn "I'm going to kill you", while continuing to punch Miss Gallagher, repeatedly.

Miss Anderson added: "Neighbours saw Jade Gallagher and the naked defendant following her.

"The defendant was grabbing her around the neck, dragging her across the street, where he continued to kick and punch her."

Miss Gallagher suffered lacerations to the top of her head and near her eye.

She said in a victim statment: "I thought he was going to kill me.

"I am sure if I hadn't managed to escape or if the front door had been locked he would have killed me.

"He was completely out of control.

"Even in the street, with neighbours watching, he continued to assault me.

"Even when I was unconscious, he was still hitting me when I came round."

The court heard Bushell received injuries himself in an altercation after the attack.

Tony Hawks, defending, said Bushell had been "drinking and taking coke" and was naked during the attack as he had got into bed at the house.

Mr Hawks added: "He is remorseful, he is disgusted by his behaviour.

"He feels he has let his family down. They are a respectable family and not used to having their son in a public court, let alone facing a significant prison sentence.

"He wants to come out and put his life back together."

After the case, Detective Constable Sara Stewart, of Northumbria Police, said: "This was a vile and despicable attack which left the victim hospitalised with serious injuries.

"Bushell put his former partner through a horrific ordeal. He turned up at her house in the early hours of the morning, woke her up and then carried out a sustained and unprovoked attack.

"The injuries that the victim suffered at Bushell’s hands were not just physical, and I would like to praise her for the bravery she has shown throughout this case. I sincerely hope today’s sentence can allow her and her family to seek some kind of closure.

"Domestic abuse of any kind is totally unacceptable, but the severity and merciless nature of this attack proves that society is a safer place with Bushell behind bars. He must now live with the consequences of his actions.”