'I'm scared'... Brute who called himself Raoul Moat while stalking ex after violent attack jailed

Eric Drinkald and the victim split up after he punched, slapped and hit her with a curtain pole and hoover attachment following an argument last November. Newcastle Crown Court heard between December 23 and January 22 Drinkald sent repeated threatening and abusive messages and calls.

On New Years' Day, Drinkald threatened to smash her windows and called himself Raoul Moat, the gunman who sparked a major manhunt after he shot his ex, murdered her new partner, and blinded a police officer before he died in an armed stand-off in 2010.

In a victim impact statement, the victim said: "This abuse has had a massive effect on my day-to-day life. I live in fear of him getting back in contact with me or approaching me. He has had other people watching me, based on previous threats he has made. I've had to change my address in order to feel safe.

“I've had to move myself and my children, with massive upheaval, for all of us to make sure he doesn't know where I live. I'm scared he will come to my house when drunk and go to my parents' house as he has done before. I'm worried he will cause more distress to my parents and children.

"The fear he will contact me is always at the back of my mind and has caused my mental health to decline."

Drinkald, 41, of no fixed address, who is from the Sunderland area, admitted battery and stalking. The court heard he had previous convictions for domestic violence and harassment on former partners. Mr Recorder Andrew Latimer sentenced him to 28 months behind bars with a five-year restraining order.

The recorder said: "You repeatedly messaged her and phoned her, making threats and being abusive towards her. You marked New Years' Day 2025 by threatening to smash her windows, going to her house and referring to yourself as Raoul Moat, a man notorious locally and threatened to burn her car."

David Callan, defending, said Drinkald accepts his behaviour was "absolutely appalling" and told the court "sexual jealousy, the green eyed monster" was behind it.