A thug is facing time behind bars after biting his ex's eye, hitting her with a bottle and sharing a sexual video of her.
Paul Kavanagh attacked his former partner inside his room at a hotel in Newcastle and left her with bruises to her arms and body. A court heard that the 56-year-old then threatened to share intimate footage of the pair online before sending it to an associate.
Kavanagh, of Westbourne Park Road, in London, appeared in the dock via video link from prison to plead guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and disclosing a private sexual film without consent.
Keith Laidlaw, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said Kavanagh had been in a relationship with the victim but she'd ended it and he went back to London, having spent the national coronavirus lockdowns living with her in Newcastle. However, he returned to the North East in June last year.
After numerous requests, the victim finally agreed to meet Kavanagh in his room at Sleeperz, on Westgate Road, where the pair argued before going to a pub. They returned later that evening, on June 13, and the woman fell asleep.
Mr Laidlaw said: "At 3am, she wakes up with the defendant on top of her. He bit her left eye and grabbed her by both arms and the throat. He used a lot of force while doing so and he also picked up a bottle, either a Budweiser or water bottle, and he punched her with it.
"She states she was shocked at this time and had bruising on her body and arms. She went to the bathroom to ring for help. She got dressed and the defendant asked her to stay. Every time she tried to leave, the defendant stood in her way and said "howay, will you have sex with me before you leave?"."
The court heard that the victim did eventually leave, despite Kavanagh threatening to share a sexual video of them if she did. Mr Laidlaw continued: "At 10pm, she received a call from him asking her to go to the hotel. The defendant, at this point, became angry saying he was going to put their sexual video online.
"She said she would go to the police. He then sent texts to say he had shared it online and how many views it was receiving. The defendant had, indeed, shared the video with a male called Scotty."
The court was told that Kavanagh shared with footage to "maximise" the victim's distress and humiliation. In a statement, she said: "I was unable to sleep and switch off. I had to take time off sick from work. I felt broken. It will be a long time before I can trust someone again."
James Tamplin, defending, said the case should be finalised at the crown court. He added: "There was a change in the defendant when his mother passed away. I think both charges are too serious to be heard here."
Kavanagh was remanded in custody to next appear at Isleworth Crown Court on April 25.
