Hebburn thug who attacked his girlfriend three times in 11 days admits assault

Stephen Wynne, 28, pleaded guilty to committing a common assault in Hebburn on the basis he had been reckless rather than intentionally brutal.

Prosecutors accepted his claim – then revealed Wynne, of Cuthbert Street, also Hebburn, had committed another two assaults against her earlier in March.

Gurjot Kaur, prosecuting, said the woman was not supportive of the latest case against Wynne, but added: “He accepts that he assaulted her.

“The two were arguing over the possession of a bag and he struck her nose, causing injury. Officers reported that she appeared to have a red mark on her nose.

“She provided no statement but did tell officers they had been in a relationship for over 11 years which had been abusive.

“She says she had previously given a statement which had led him to call her a grass.

“He was on bail when he committed this latest offence, he has breached that bail. The complainant says she is in fear.”

At an earlier hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, Wynne pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating, committed on Friday, March 8.

Wynne, who committed the common assault on Monday, March 18, has 33 previous convictions from 53 offences.

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Tim Gregory, defending, said: “It’s a complicated dynamic here. I ask you to give credit for his guilty plea to common assault.

“It was a reckless act. It was an argument over a bag. They were tugging at it, and he made contact with her nose. He was in breach of bail.

“The complainant didn’t want to assist the prosecution. His last other conviction was 2020 and it’s some 10 years earlier to a similar offence against the person.”

Borough magistrates granted him bail with conditions which include him staying away from his victim until he is sentenced for all matters at the same court on Monday, April 15.

He must also not enter an area of Hebburn surrounded by Monkton Lane, Campbell Park Road and Finchale Road.

And he was ordered to stay away from a part of Peterlee, Co Durham, where his victim usually resides and abide by an electronically monitored 7pm to 7am curfew.