Drug-addled thug strangled partner and smashed up her Leeds bedroom after argument
As she drove past he held up a large kitchen knife
A drug-addled thug has been jailed after strangling his partner following an argument at her home in Leeds.
Jordan Stewart, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to two years and 14 days in prison at Leeds Crown Court after admitting offences of intentional strangulation, two counts criminal damage and one count of harassment.
Prosecutor Zanisha Herbert told the court how Stewart and his partner, who married in September last year following a four-month romance, had been at her home in Seacroft in November when an argument broke out.
In what was described to the court as an “impulsive, yet persistent” attack, the 30-year-old smashed up the woman’s bedroom, damaging her TV and taking a pair of scissors to her wardrobe door, before turning his anger towards her.
The court heard how Stewart grabbed her by the throat with both hands and squeezed. Struggling to breathe, the woman was able to fight him off.
Ms Herbert further detailed to the court how in January of this year Stewart began pestering the woman - first asking for money, before phoning her a number of times from withheld numbers, and calling her sexually explicit names.
This then escalated when she saw his vehicle parked near her home and as she drove past the defendant held up a large kitchen knife.
The court was told how the incidents have had had an “overwhelming psychological impact” on the woman, who has suffered from heightened anxiety and night terrors since the incident, which left her fearing for her life and the lives of her family.
Stewart has 13 previous convictions from 29 offences, including burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, and assault on an emergency worker.
In mitigation, defence counsel Nick Murphy told the court how the defendant had become addicted to Class A drugs and as a result, the majority of his prior convictions related to the summer of 2023.
Mr Murphy said Stewart had so far made good progress in custody and was abstaining from drugs.
Once released he intends to live a “law-abiding life,” become a better father to his children, and regain his job as a scaffolder.
Passing sentence, Judge Simon Phillips KC described the attack as “terrifying” and said Stewart had shown an “inability to take responsibility for his actions” since.
He added 14 days to Stewart’s initial 24-month sentence for a breach of his bail conditions, when he failed to turn up to a prior hearing at the Leeds Magistrates’ Court.
Judge Phillips also handed down an indefinite length restraining order, prohibiting the defendant from contacting his former partner, or from going near her home.