Kirkbymoorside man jailed for vicious attack on partner

John Barratt, 41, pinned the woman down on a bed during the attack.

Following his arrest and while on bail, he bombarded her with dozens of messages, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Brooke Morrison said that Barratt and the victim had been in a relationship for 17 years, but their relationship had deteriorated in the five years preceding the attack due to his “declining” mental health.

On October 30 last year, the day of the attack, Barratt had been drinking heavily at their home in Kirkbymoorside and by 10pm he was shouting abuse at the victim and accusing her of being unfaithful.

“The (victim) was able to defuse the situation initially and both ended up falling asleep on the sofa,” said Ms Morrison.

The victim was woken a short time later by Barratt playing loud music.

She went upstairs to bed, but he followed her, punched her in the face, then hit her again, before pinning her down on the bed.

He then “pushed her head down into the bed” whereupon there was a struggle as she tried to escape.

As she tried to leave the room, Barratt grabbed her and pulled her to the floor, before “putting both hands around her neck and squeezing” until she was struggling to breathe.

She finally managed to force him off, ran downstairs and rang police, but Barratt followed her and grabbed the phone off her.

He then spat in her face three times as he tried to grab her.

Police arrived at the house and arrested Barratt who didn’t go easily – an officer had to use pepper spray to allow two constables to take him to ground and place the handcuffs on him.

Once inside the police van, Barratt began hurling homophobic abuse at one of the officers.

He was taken into custody and released on bail on the proviso that he didn’t contact the victim but proceeded to bombard her with 46 “unpleasant” messages and voice notes telling her he loved her and apologising for his behaviour, saying he was “scared to go to jail”.

In one phone call, he called her a deeply offensive name and said he would be “taking items from the house”.

The officer who was subjected to homophobic abuse said he felt “deeply humiliated” by Barratt’s barbed comments.

Barratt, now of no fixed address, was charged with intentional strangulation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault in relation to the incident at his now-ex-partner’s home.

He denied strangulation and common assault but admitted ABH.

The prosecution accepted his pleas.

He also admitted harassing the victim by sending her 46 “unwarranted” messages and pleaded guilty to resisting a police constable and threatening behaviour towards the officer who was subjected to verbal abuse.

He appeared for sentence on Wednesday, February 18, after being remanded in custody.

Ms Morrison outlined Barratt’s terrible criminal record comprising 38 previous offences including serious violence, public disorder, resisting a police officer, being drunk and disorderly and carrying a knife, for which he was given a community punishment in October last year.

His solicitor Graham Parkin said that Barratt had ongoing mental-health issues and, before being remanded in custody, had been offered a flat in supported accommodation in Scarborough.

Judge Simon Hickey said that Barratt had launched a “strong and prolonged” attack on the victim when he was “well in drink”.

He blasted Barratt for his behaviour towards the police officer, adding: “He was simply doing his duty.

"He doesn’t need this sort of behaviour and neither does society.”

Barratt was given a 10-month jail sentence for the attack on his ex-partner and two months consecutive for his insulting behaviour towards the police officer.

He will serve less than half of the total 12-month sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.

The judge also made a 10-year restraining order prohibiting Barratt from directly contacting the victim.