Man who strangled his partner and assaulted police officer is jailed

A man who strangled his partner and then assaulted the police officer who arrested him has been jailed.

Stephen McCLean attacked the woman at her home address in Belper after the couple had an argument.

He smashed her head against the wall, pulled chunks of her hair out and then pinned her down on the floor and strangled her until she passed out. After she regained consciousness, she managed to fight him off and escape.

In a victim impact statement, the woman described the effect the incident had on her: “After the incident I was really confused and could not remember things in order. I could not stop shaking, the fear was debilitating.

“I felt really weak and unstable.

“After the incident I ended up in hospital after the police came around to find me with chest pains. I was admitted for 3 or 4 days and I had bruising to my lungs, infection in my lungs and was diagnosed with pneumonia. This made me realise how serious the incident was because I had never been in hospital before.

“I have had trouble sleeping and been having nightmares, but I can’t remember them, I wake up and realise I am on my own and calm down.

“I have had flashbacks too: I find myself reliving the past situations.

“I have felt grief almost after all of this, for the loss of the relationship and had low mood that I am in this place again and now having to start all over again.”

McClean was arrested following the assault and taken to hospital due to having taken a large quantity of drugs. While waiting for treatment, he became aggressive and had to be restrained on the floor. He then bit one of the police officers on the hand.

The 43-year-old, of Gladstone Street, Heanor, was subsequently charged with intentional strangulation and assaulting an emergency worker by beating.

He admitted the offences and appeared at Derby Crown Court for sentence on 7 May where he was jailed for 16 months. He was also handed a restraining order preventing him from having any contact with the woman.

Detective Constable Mia Gill, who led the investigation, said: “The levels of violence that McClean showed on this day were appalling.

“The abuse he inflicted on his partner has affected her in so many ways. Even after the physical injuries have healed, this incident continues to affect her emotionally and mentally.

“Even after being arrested, McClean’s violent demeanour didn’t change and he went on to assault a police officer.

“I’d like to praise the woman for her courage in speaking to officers about this and ensuring that McClean is brought to justice.

“If you or anyone you know is experiencing any form of domestic abuse, please don’t suffer in silence. Support is available so please reach out. Even if you’re not ready to report to the police, a number of charities and organisations provide support services.”

If you're a victim of domestic abuse, or know someone who is, there are a number of ways you can report your concerns:

• Website– We have crime reporting tools on our website: use our online contact form
• Facebook– send us private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• Phone – call us on 101

In an emergency, where someone is in danger right now, call 999.

If you’re not ready to report to the police, please reach out for support. There are a number of organisations who can help. Please visit Support organisations for victims of domestic violence | Derbyshire Constabulary for more details.