Dog saves woman during brutal assault by Sunderland serial criminal

David Wilson bombarded the victim with threatening messages last September despite their relationship being at an end.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he then turned up at the woman's address where he pushed her and tried to choke her – before her brave canine intervened.

Kevin Wardlaw, prosecuting, said: "(The victim) ended the relationship which she described as horrible due to the aggression and violence from thedefendant a month before the offence.

"It was apparent to her the defendant could not accept the relationship was at an end, having sent her messages on several occasions.

"On the 18th of September she recalled several threatening messages from the defendant."

The court heard that the victim heard a noise coming from her back gate in the early hours of the following morning.

She realised it was Wilson who told her he had come to collect his belongings, while threatening to smash her windows.

Mr Wardlaw said the woman ran upstairs to phone the police but she ended the call and told the handler she had made a mistake when they phoned back.

Mr Wardlaw added: "The defendant remained in the address and the complainant fell asleep separately from the defendant.

"When she woke at 11.30am she asked the defendant to leave.

"He ran after her and pushed her with sufficient force resulting in her arm going through a glass panel on the front door."

Wilson then "flung" his victim to the floor and grabbed her around the neck, causing her to struggle to breathe.

Mr Wardlaw added: "She stated she thought she was going to die and the assault only ended when her dog attacked him."

Wilson, 44, of Plains Farm Road, Sunderland, then left the scene but was located at a Metro station nearby where he was arrested.

The brute, who has 113 previous convictions for 271 offences, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

In a victim statement, the woman said she lost her tenancy due to complaints from neighbours about the noise caused by frequent disputes between the pair.

Nicholas Lane, defending, said Wilson had suffered with drug addiction and was awaiting an appointment with Wear Recovery upon his release from custody.

Mr Lane said: "He accepts the relationship is over. There is no reason for him to have any contact with her.

"He has expressed remorse for the injuries that he caused. His record makes for, he would accept, terrible reading.

"He accepts at the age of 44, to use his own words, he needs to snap out of it because he knows the future does not look very bright for him if he doesn't."

Judge Robert Adams said there was a "substantial impact" on the victim and noted she was physically sick when she saw Wilson at an earlier court appearance.

He sentenced him to two years and eight months.

After learning his fate, Wilson said: "That's f****** harsh that like."

He was also made subject to a five-year restraining order.