Yahoo News Boyfriend punched partner, drove her car into garden wall then headbutted police officer
A drug-addicted boyfriend who became violent and took his girlfriend's car, went on the run as police looked for him.
David Hey was struggling with his mental health over Christmas last year when he relapsed into taking drugs, punched his partner and drove her car straight into her garden wall. The Ford Kuga went straight through the brick wall at an address in Hartlepool, destroying kids' bikes and scooters.
The 38-year-old drove away shouting, "are you happy now?" before "going to ground" as police searched for him.
Teesside Crown Court has heard that Hey became "snappy and argumentative" with his partner as he worried about money, before he asked to borrow her silver Ford Kuga on January 11. His partner called him early the next morning to ask for her car back, as Hey, who had no insurance or licence, hadn't returned and she needed to take her children to school.
On Thursday, Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, stated that Hey's partner said that "he sounded out of his head on drugs" and she told him not to come near her home. A while later, Hey pulled up in his partner's car, and ignored her requests for him not to come into the house.
"He punched her twice, called her a 'grassing c***' and left, shouting, 'I'll kill you!' " Ms Haigh said. The woman's young child had been in the room when she was punched. CCTV then captured Hey accelerating into the garden wall.
Hey fled as police looked for him. Twelve days later, on January 24, they went to arrest him at a different address at 5.30am. The police reported that Hey, who was in his underwear, jumped up on top of his bed and took up a "fighting stance."
He was tasered, but later when officers allowed him to get dressed and take his medication, Hey swallowed several tablets from a packet and "began snarling, making threats and calling the officers 'd********," Ms Haigh said.
Hey bit one officer and headbutted two others. Police used PAVA spray on him and took him to hospital. He was then taken to the police station, where he headbutted the same officer again and was "taken to the floor and put in leg restraints".
In his police interview, Hey said he couldn't remember why he had driven into the wall, but said he was under the influence of drink and drugs and "felt as guilty as f***" for assaulting his partner. He also admitted headbutting "the ginger one, in his face."
Hey, of Millbank Terrace in Wingate, Durham, pleaded guilty to assault, dangerous driving, criminal damage and to four counts of assaulting an emergency worker. He has 41 previous convictions for 98 offences, including a serious assault and the possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear.
'Blown out of proportion'
Kelly Clark, mitigating, said that Hey had been struggling with his mental health and until he had started attending "Andy's Man Club" he hadn't spoken to anyone about how he had been feeling. "He wants to get back to a normal life and to work," Ms Clark said, "he has contact with his children from other relationships."
Hey has been in prison on remand since January, but has a job waiting for him, the Middlesbrough court heard. The manager wrote a character reference for Hey, saying that "proved himself reliable and trustworthy" when he was offered some voluntary work when he was last released from prison.
Hey's former partner, who withdrew her support for his prosecution, also wrote a letter to the court. She said: "The incident has been blown out of proportion. David has been suffering from mental health problems. His doctor dropped his medication again and I saw him get really low. That was when the incident happened. He has tried so hard to turn his life around since he left prison in May 2023.
"I hope to rekindle my relationship with David. I know we will have to work with social services. Can I ask if there's any chance he is given help instead of punishment?"
Judge Caroline Sellars told Hey: "You punched your girlfriend twice in the face. You drove deliberately into her garden wall. You went to ground and were snarling and threatening when the police caught up with you. You thrashed your head back, striking two officers; you bit an officer on her arm and you kicked another.
"You were red-dotted; PAVA spray was used to subdue you and you were put in leg restraints." Hey was jailed for 22-months. After his time on remand is subtracted from that sentence, he has seven-months-and-eight-days left to serve.
The judge banned him from driving for three years, from the day he is released.
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