Tavien Sutton left woman with brain bleeds and broken nose

In his third and final assault, 29-year-old Tavien Sutton threatened to kill his victim and stab himself in the face, which he repeated several times before she managed to flee the scene.

She felt compelled to move out of the Bingley home that they briefly shared as it was covered in bloodstains from his attacks on her.

In a statement to the court, she said the trauma had left her facing nightmares and “horrible flashbacks”, and that she was taking tablets for depression and anxiety.

She said: “I never thought I would be a victim of domestic violence.

“My life has been turned upside down. I struggle with trust, and I don’t think I will ever be able to trust another man again.

“I look in the mirror and I genuinely don’t recognise the person looking back.”

Bradford Crown Court heard how Sutton and the woman met in January this year.

The case was heard at Bradford Crown Court He moved in with her after two weeks but the relationship, described in court as “toxic”, quickly deteriorated due to their constant arguments.

On February 3, Sutton tried to punch the woman in the face and picked up a television as if to throw it. They reconciled and at that point, the incident was not reported to police.

On March 13, they argued about messages on his ‘phone from another female. In the bedroom, Sutton stood over the victim and threatened to “smash her face in” and to “boot her in the face”, after which he kicked her in the face “with full force”.

The attack caused her nose and lips to bleed heavily.

He then threw a table, which hit her in the chest, before kicking it up and throwing it against the wall. The attack lasted five minutes.

The victim rang 999 but ended the call when Sutton, who could be heard “shouting and screaming in the background”, threatened her. When the call handler rang back Sutton ordered the victim not to divulge their address.

Instead, he gave her a tissue to mop up the blood and commented: “Look what you made me do.”

Police were called by a neighbour who had heard the incident, and the victim was taken to hospital. Bloodstained clothing and tissues were found at the scene.

An “agitated” Sutton was arrested and during the journey to the police station said he had “flicked” his foot, which had hit the victim in the head but that he had not meant to do so.

Despite the victim’s attempts to end the relationship, it resumed.

On April 19, the couple had been out for drinks in Bingley when they had another argument. In the early hours of the following morning, Sutton punched the victim in the head, face, and chest as she curled into a foetal position to protect herself.

He then stamped on her head before sitting on the bed and saying that he was going to kill her with a knife and then stab himself in the face.

Bringing a knife from the kitchen, he repeated the threat several times.

The victim, who said she was “terrified”, described the situation as “a blur” and recollected waking up “dizzy”. She had blood coming out of her ears.

Sutton punched her in the face telling her, “You’ve pushed me too far this time,” but persuaded her not to leave.

The victim went along with this, believing Sutton when he said he would end up killing her.

An ambulance was sent to the scene and paramedics reported the assaults. A CT scan showed the victim had two separate bleeds to the brain as well as a broken nose.

Sutton initially pleaded not guilty to charges of wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and making threats to kill before changing his plea to guilty five days before the start of a trial.

Mitigating for Sutton, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, Gerald Hendron said “absolutely nothing” could justify his behaviour.

He added: “This was for the defendant a toxic relationship that certainly should have ended after February 3, and it didn’t. He faces the consequences of that and his actions that night and beyond.”

His Honour Judge Ahmed Nadim sentenced Sutton to five-and-a-half years in prison for wounding plus 18 months for the ABH offences and three-and-a-half years for the threats to kill, all to be served concurrently.

Judge Ahmed Nadim (Image: Newsquest) Referring to Sutton’s “violent, shameful, and disgraceful” behaviour, he said: “By virtue of your relationship with [the victim] and the commitment the two of you had entered into, she was entitled to expect from you a treatment of respect and protection from harm.

“You miserably failed to deliver that.

“Attacking another human being’s head is an attack on the most vulnerable part of the body.

“It is the good fortune [of the victim] that she has not been more damaged by the violence that you inflicted upon her.”

He imposed a restraining order banning Sutton from any contact with the victim.