Violent South Shields drunk delivered right hook to partner - all caught on CCTV
Violent drink nabbed on CCTV delivering right hook to his partner in South Shields town centre.
A violent drunk who knocked his partner to the ground with a right hook to the head in full view of CCTV cameras in South Tyneside cameras has been spared jail.
Mark Seales, 36, whacked her in South Shields town centre after they had boozed at a food festival on Saturday, May 23, borough magistrates heard.
They jailed him for 24 weeks but suspended the sentence for 18 months, allowing Seales, of John Williamson Street, near Tyne Dock, to walk free.
It was the second time in less than two years he had been given a suspended prison sentence for the same ABH offence against her.
‘He had failed to learn his lessons’
In a report, the Probation Service said he had failed to learn his lessons and up until the day of the attack was using cannabis and still boozing.
As punishment, magistrates also ordered the dad, a part-time steward at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light ground, to stay alcohol-free for 90 days and do 150 hours of unpaid work.
After being told he would not be imprisoned, Seales let out a gasp of relief and clasped the back of his chair for support.
‘I will make this right’
He told magistrates he was “a bit overwhelmed, that’s all. I apologise, I’m very nervous” before adding: “I just want to say ‘thank you’ for that, I will make this right.”
In the moments after the attack, his victim told police Seales had not been responsible but her lie to protect him was exposed by clear film footage.
Prosecutor Ruth Forster said: “The incident was caught on CCTV and takes no longer than 30 seconds.
“Police were called by CCTV operators. When they arrived, they found the complainant upset and intoxicated and shouting that it wasn’t him.
“The defendant was located nearby and said he had only pushed her. The complainant does not support the prosecution.
“The complainant was effectively lying motionless on the floor after he punched her. The crown places this as up to 36 weeks in custody.
“He has 14 previous convictions from 19 offences, and was last in court in July 2024 for an ABH.
“He was given a suspended sentence order of six months, suspended for 18 months.”
Seales pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
In a report, the Probation Service said he had been “heavily intoxicated”, a response to his first day of not smoking cannabis.
It confirmed his suspended sentence was committed against the same victim and while he was also drunk.
Its report said he had suffered a “chaotic” childhood, and that cannabis was his main addiction issue but alcohol the fuel to his violence.
David Forrester, defending, said: “The offence is aggravated by three things – alcohol, domestic and the previous conviction.
“It is mitigated by his remorse almost as soon as it happened. You see that on the video.
“It’s a complicated situation. The victim is at the back of the court. The first thing she said was that it wasn’t him, which wasn’t true.
“He tells me that he hasn’t had a drink since, that’s three or four weeks sober.”
Seales must also complete the accredited Building Choices support programme and pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.