This violent offender, who assaulted a woman last week, spent Christmas Day in a police cell – and will see in the New Year in prison.
Dale Blaney, 39, attacked the woman in her home in Whitby on 23 December, striking her face, before waving a large kitchen knife around. He then took her phone and snapped it in half, saying “you think you can mess with me?”.
He threw her possessions around her house, before finally leaving in the early hours of Christmas Eve.
However, he later returned to the property, banging on the door and demanding to be let it. The victim fled her home address to that of a friend, and North Yorkshire Police were called.
Blaney, from Manchester, was arrested, and charged with assault and criminal damage.
At York Magistrates Court he pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to a total of 23 weeks’ imprisonment, as he had received an 18-week suspended sentence for a similar offence involving a different victim earlier in December.
A two-year restraining order was also put in place, protecting the victim from Blaney beyond his imprisonment.
PC Matt Philpott, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Blaney is a perpetrator of violence against women, who preys on the vulnerability of his victims, and clearly cares little for the people he hurts and the pain he inflicts.
“As a result of his actions, he was arrested on Christmas Eve, charged and remanded on Christmas Day, and imprisoned on Boxing Day.
“I hope the outcome reinforces the message that offending like this is completely unacceptable, and will be dealt with seriously and robustly by North Yorkshire Police.
“I would also like to praise the bravery of the victim, both in coming forward to us, and her continued support throughout the case.”
