A Hartlepool man has been jailed for three years and three months after a violent late-night break-in in which a teenage girl was repeatedly strangled and threatened with death.
Attack at around 01:00 in January
Teesside Crown Court heard that Mark Hunt, 57, forced his way into the home of a woman and her daughter at about 01:00 GMT on 9 January. He had travelled to the address by taxi and was on bail at the time, with a condition prohibiting him from going near the pair after an earlier incident in November, the court was told.
Prosecutor Paul Rooney described a sustained and frightening attack in which Hunt burst into the girl's bedroom, took her phone and then went to the mother's room to try to seize her mobile device so neither could call for help. The court heard he shouted threats to kill before placing the girl in a headlock and clamping an arm around her neck, cutting off her breathing.
- Victim: teenage girl, suffered strangulation, punches, kicks and being dragged by the hair.
- Secondary victim: the mother, who was bitten when she intervened.
- Immediate action: mother used a phone taken back from Hunt to call the police.
Aftermath and impact on victims
The court heard that the girl has experienced profound and ongoing effects since the attack. In a statement read at the hearing she said she had been plagued by severe sleep disturbance and a loss of confidence.
"I have suffered night terrors and nightmares almost every night,"
Her mother described recurring panic attacks driven by fear that the attacker could return.
Evidence given in court included the testimony that the taxi driver who brought Hunt to the property had been so alarmed by his behaviour—Hunt reportedly telling the driver the girl was "evil" and he was going to kill her mother—that the driver contacted the police after dropping him off.
Court findings and sentence
Hunt pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and causing actual bodily harm. The judge ruled the invasion, and the nature of the assaults, as both deliberate and terrifying for the victims. He was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.
The sentencing reflects the seriousness of an offence involving repeated, sustained violence in the victims' own home and the clear psychological harm suffered by both mother and daughter.
| Key dates | Details |
|---|---|
| November (previous incident) | Hunt pushed the teenage girl while intoxicated; bail conditions imposed afterwards |
| 9 January, ~01:00 | Hunt travelled by taxi, forced entry, assaulted the girl and her mother; police called |
Local context
The case has underlined concerns about repeat offending and the protection of victims in Hartlepool. Residents and local services are frequently left bearing the human cost when violent incidents occur in private homes, and this sentence will be watched closely by families coping with the aftermath of similar crimes.
Police and local authorities have emphasised the importance of reporting worrying behaviour. In this case, a prompt call by the taxi driver and the victims' ability to contact emergency services once they recovered a phone were pivotal to the investigation and prosecution.
For the victims, however, the legal outcome will not immediately erase the trauma. The girl continues to report physical pain when speaking for extended periods and both she and her mother continue to experience persistent psychological effects.
Anyone affected by domestic or violent crime in Hartlepool seeking support can contact local victim services and the national domestic abuse helplines for advice and assistance.
