“Fed-up” Newbold man shoved blanket into wife’s mouth during row over “affair”

Mark Shaw, 56, told police he stuffed the bedding in wife Elaine Shaw’s face “to stop her shouting at him” amid claims he had taken her money and was having an affair.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard how during the struggle Mrs Shaw “couldn’t breathe” and feared her husband “might kill her”.

Officers were scrambled to the couple’s home on January 30 following a phone call from Mrs Shaw’s daughter.

On their arrival Mrs Shaw - who had suffered a cut to her lip - asked police not to arrest her husband as she was “scared he would leave”.

Prosecutor Sarah Haslam told how “clearly stressed” Shaw - still present at the house - admitted what he had done straight away because he was “fed-up” and was arrested.

While in police custody later Shaw - his wife’s main carer - told police her 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 - “a heavy vodka drinker” - had suffered the injury falling over while drunk.

He told how wife Elaine harangued him with persistent 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.”

A magistrate told Shaw: “The situation you’re facing here is, in the worst case scenario, one where you could go to prison.

“You won’t be walking out of here with a fine or a slapped wrist - this is a vulnerable victim in a domestic abuse situation - a weapon was used.”

Shaw, of Longedge Lane, admitted assault by beating and was bailed with conditions not to contact his wife. He will be sentenced following a probation report.

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