A FATHER-OF-SEVEN who terrorised his wife and held her under water until she passed out has been jailed.
Kenneth Hassall, aged 47, used violence against his ex-wife Julie for most of their 25 years of marriage, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday.
Prosecutor David Bennett said: "Despite (on the outside) being a good family man, behind closed doors he was a violent bully who terrorised his wife through most of their marriage."
The court was told the couple married in 1983 but two years later he had an affair.
"They began to argue and he began assaulting the complainant during the course of the arguments," said Mr Bennett.
In 1987 the couple moved to Merrion Drive in Bradeley where Hassall continued to be violent towards his wife.
But the court heard she did not report the attacks to the authorities as she felt it would only make matters worse.
"He generally struck her in places where the injuries would not be noted or seen by others," said Mr Bennett.
Hassall's reign of bullying included him holding his ex-wife under water until she passed out during an argument some time in 2003-2004.
And in February 2006 he struck her head with a broom handle leaving her needing stitches to close the wound.
In April 2007 Hassall broke her elbow during an argument. Mr Bennett said the defendant threw a glass tumbler at her and she had to go to the Haywood Hospital where her arm was put in a sling.
But a few days later the couple argued again and during a struggle Hassall put pressure on her elbow. She returned to hospital where doctors confirmed it was broken and Mrs Hassall had to have an operation.
And in 2008 Hassall threatened his wife with an axe and also damaged an internal door.
After Hassall left the family home in October 2009 that Mrs Hassall began attending counselling sessions because of the physical abuse she suffered.
And it was only then that she felt strong enough to report the violence to the police.
In his police interview, Hassall, of Woodpecker Drive, Packmoor, accepted slapping his wife to "bring her back to reality".
He said he would pull her hair and grab her by the throat but denied using any force. He said he actions were "normal within any marriage".
Mr Bennett said the violence has had a profound effect on Mrs Hassall.
Hassall, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to three charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and an affray.
Iain Simkin, mitigating, conceded it was almost certain Hassall would be going to custody.
He said it was to everyone's advantage there was no trial and family members were prevented from testifying against each other.
Mr Simkin said Hassall is now in another relationship and has not been violent to his new partner.
He asked Judge Robert Trevor-Jones to consider passing a suspended sentence as an alternative to custody. But the judge said there had to be an immediate prison sentence and jailed Hassall for 20 months.
He said the defendant holding his wife under water until she passed out must have been very frightening for her.
Judge Trevor-Jones added: "This was repeated and sustained violence."
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