Chesterfield dad “petrified” five-year-old daughter during violent domestic row

James Hague, 41, attacked his estranged wife after an argument erupted between the pair.

Hague had been visiting his wife at her father’s home on Christmas Eve when the concerned mum noticed him “acting weird” - and suspected he had been taking drugs.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard the couple had been separated for two years due to Hague’s drug addiction problems.

During the quarrel which followed Hague grabbed his wife’s throat twice after she pushed him out of his daughter’s bedroom - who was “scared of him” after previous incidents.

Becky Allsop, prosecuting, told how frightened mum Kimberley struck Hague about the cheek in self-defence.

After Hague’s wife’s father, who was present at the time, eventually managed to pull the out-of-control Chesterfield man off of his daughter, Hague “headbutted” a fridge.

Ms Allsop described how the ordeal had “affected” both Hague’s wife and his daughter.

In a statement she said: “My daughter has been without her father for a month now - I told her it’s because daddy’s poorly again.”

A magistrate told Hague the incident - which lasted around one hour and 45 minutes - was a “serious assault”.

He said: “This was a sustained assault made worse by the fact your child was present.”

Hague, of Devizes Close, admitted assault and was given 140 hours’ unpaid work.

He was also given a two-year restraining order with instructions not to contact Ms Hague.

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