Holiday Park Assault Leads to 31-Month Prison Sentence
A 24-year-old man from Ashton-under-Lyne has been jailed for 31 months after a brutal attack on his partner during a holiday park break, which included strangulation and threats to drown her. Sam Tandy, of Winterford Road, Mossley, admitted to multiple charges, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm and racially aggravated threatening behaviour towards a police officer.
Violent Incident at Hexham Holiday Park
The court heard that the assault occurred in January this year at a holiday park near Hexham. Tandy and his girlfriend, who had been in an on-off relationship since they were both 11 years old, were on a short break when the violence erupted. According to prosecutors, Tandy had been drinking in a hot tub and became aggressive when the woman asked him to move away from a stove while she was cooking.
During the attack, Tandy was heard saying on the phone, "I will get her in here and f****** drown her", while using abusive terms to refer to her. He then recorded a video, which upset the victim, leading her to tell him to sleep in a spare bed. This triggered further violence, with Tandy grabbing the woman, digging his nails into her, and biting her left cheek and lip.
Strangulation and Further Violence
Prosecutor Ian Windridge detailed how Tandy strangled the woman to the point where she felt she was going to be sick. The assault escalated as he kicked her, smashed plates, threw food around the property, and grabbed her coat, pulling her backwards and hiding her phone. The woman fled to a bathroom, where she could hear him ripping her coat and saw feathers from it on the floor.
Windridge added that Tandy shouted, "you're going to make me kill someone", and began punching himself in the head and face. He then took scissors and made a stabbing gesture towards her. The victim was left with scratches and bruises, and in a victim impact statement, she expressed profound fear, stating, "I genuinely feared for my life that night."
Racially Aggravated Abuse and Previous Convictions
After his arrest, Tandy directed a racist slur at a detention officer who attempted to search him. He has seven previous convictions and was on a suspended sentence for grievous bodily harm at the time of the assault. Tandy pleaded guilty to strangulation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of criminal damage, and racially aggravated threatening behaviour.
Sentencing and Defence Statements
Recorder Simon Goldberg, sentencing Tandy at Newcastle Crown Court, noted that the defendant has a "distorted belief about power, control and entitlement within intimate relationships". He emphasised that Tandy's behaviour, particularly when disinhibited by alcohol, was disgraceful and not an isolated incident.
Defence barrister Liam O'Brien stated that Tandy is "deeply and genuinely ashamed" of his actions, attributing them to excessive alcohol consumption. O'Brien highlighted that Tandy has decided to abstain from drink and described him as a loving uncle, trusted friend, and reliable employee in references provided to the court.
The case underscores the severe consequences of domestic violence and racially motivated offences, with the court imposing a significant prison term to reflect the gravity of Tandy's actions.
