Why Are You Crouching Spock?
Avenger
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A woman who bit a hole in her boyfriend's scrotum during a drunken row was spared jail today. Maria Topp, 44, from Wrekenton, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm at Newcastle Crown Court last month. She attacked Martin Douglas, her partner of five years, after they had been on a 10-hour drinking session in February.
Recorder Robin Mairs handed her a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered her to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
He also imposed a restraining order on the mother-of-four to prevent her from contacting Mr Douglas.
"This relationship is over, I think both of you accept that," the judge said.
The couple shared a "turbulent relationship", Gavin Doig, prosecuting, said, and police had been called on previous occasions to Mr Douglas's flat in Waterloo Street, Newcastle. Officers were called shortly after 4am on February 18 and found Mr Douglas wearing a towel.
Mr Doig said: "The most serious injury was obvious to the police when Mr Douglas pulled aside the towel he was wearing. They were able to see his scrotum was ripped, his testicles were exposed and bloodied and it was the defendant that had done this to him." What sparked the violence between the couple was unclear, the court heard.
"There came a point in time when the complainant and defendant were on the floor and this defendant sank her teeth into the complainant's scrotum and ripped his scrotum, causing serious injury and Mr Douglas says he felt immediate and extreme pain," the Crown said. Mr Douglas had a bite to his tricep and multiple scratches as well as the more serious injury. He was taken to hospital and given intravenous pain relief. "The injury caused a wound to his scrotal sack and as a result a testicle was exposed," Mr Doig said. Mr Douglas, who is a DJ in city centre venues, made a full physical recovery but still has mental scars. Caroline Goodwin, defending, said Topp had "troubled personal circumstances" and suffered abuse in the past.
A psychological report handed to the judge but not read in open court pointed to "her very troubled history", Miss Goodwin said. Recorder Mairs told Topp: "You and the victim Martin Douglas were in a relationship for five years. It was a turbulent one and I accept the turbulence came from both sides." He said the couple must have been "blind drunk" when they went to Mr Douglas's flat after their "sustained" drinking session. He said: "You bit his scrotum with enough force to rip his skin. It must have been excruciatingly painful." Mr Douglas declined to comment afterwards.
Good times.
