Drunk Benwell dad punched ex and assaulted her mother…

Drunk Benwell dad punched ex and assaulted her mother after refusing to leave her home

An drunk dad punched his ex-girlfriend in the face and assaulted her mother after he refused to leave her Newcastle home.

Campbell Forster had repeatedly been asked to go by his former partner but flew into a rage and became verbally aggressive. The 32-year-old's behaviour frightened the women so much that she rang her mum, who soon turned up at the address to help, a court was told.

However, Forster refused to calm down or leave the premises, forcing the older woman to try and ring the police. But, in a fit of booze-fuelled rage, Forster had other ideas and "slapped" the mobile from her hands.

Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard that Forster then turned his attention to his ex, who, in fear of violence from him, slapped him across the face. It prompted Forster to lash out further and he punched the terrified woman to the side of the head.

Forster, of Condercum Road, in Benwell, initially told police he acted out of self-defence but changed his mind and admitted what he'd done when he appeared in the dock to plead guilty to two counts of assault by beating.

Fining him £180 and ordering him to pay £100 in compensation, District Judge Zoe Passfield said: "This could have been a great deal worse. This was an assault on the mother of your child in her own home while you were in drink. Were it not for the fact you have taken steps yourself to address your alcohol problem, I would have been asking for Probation to speak to you with a view to giving you a community order."

The court heard that Forster and the victim had split up when he attended her house on January 30 this year and refused to leave when asked. As a result, she rang her mother and asked her to come and help remove her ex from her home.

Prosecutor, Claire Armstrong, said: "[The mother] tried to ring 999. There was an altercation between them and the defendant slapped the phone out of her hand. [Forster's ex] was in the living room. She described fearing immediate violence from the defendant as he was shouting in her face.

"She slapped the defendant across the face. The defendant took some steps backwards then lunged himself towards her and punched her to the right side of her head. The complainant says the defendant immediately started to deny the assault, despite her mother standing there."

The court was told that both victims were uninjured but the mother had been left "traumatised". In a statement, she added: "It's horrific to see my daughter abused by someone who is vile. I felt hurt by the incident, it was awful."

Peter Doherty, defending, said Forster, who has seven offences on his record, had been suffering with issues with alcohol but had taken steps himself to address them. He added: "His drinking has dramatically reduced but he's not stopped completely."

Forster was also made subject of a restraining order, which banned him from contacting his ex's mother for 12 months.

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