Chesterfield husband who gagged wife with blanket to “stop her shouting” spared jail

Mark Shaw, 56, shoved the linen in his partner’s face during a domestic row over claims he had taken her money and was having an affair.

Prosecutor Peter Bettany told Chesterfield Magistrates Court Shaw admitted holding his wife down with the blanket for “two minutes” however he had “no intention” of stopping her breathing.

During a previous hearing the court was told how when police arrived at the couple’s home on January 30 Shaw admitted what he had done straight away because he was “fed-up”.

During a sentencing hearing today (Monday) Mr Bettany said Shaw told police since having brain surgery his now estranged partner had “changed”.

Mr Bettany said: “He said the victim made continuous accusations about him seeing other women and stealing her money.”

In a victim impact statement read out in court the woman described the assault as being “committed by the most important person in my life” “when I was at my most vulnerable”.

She said: “I’m worried he’ll come back and finish the job - I’m not eating properly and fill my days with resorting to drinking until all hours.”

During an earlier hearing in March magistrates heard Shaw told police his wife's accusations were false and they were the result of being mentally unwell due to a brain bleed.

Shaw, who represented himself in court, described how his wife had suffered the injury falling over while drunk.

He said his wife harangued him with phone calls at work and followed him “everywhere” - adding: “I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without her or even talk to another woman.”

He said: “You’re in a situation where you’re at work all day and you come home for it to start all over again - every night she would pick an argument.

“But I don’t even see other women - I don’t have time to see them.”

Shaw, of Longedge Lane, admitted assault by beating.

Magistrates handed him a 12-month community order with 14 rehabilitation days and fined him £276.

He was also given a two-year restraining order and made to pay £85 court costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

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