MARK LAMBERT – FELLING, NORTH EAST

❌MARK LAMBERT – FELLING, NORTH EAST❌

Please do Clare’s law

2021 – Care worker bullied former partner and threatened her with knives during campaign of domestic abuse

A care worker subjected his former partner to a sustained campaign of domestic abuse, including threats with knives, physical violence and coercive behaviour, a court heard.

Mark Lambert, 28, of Chilside Road, Felling, Gateshead, left the woman injured and terrified during a series of incidents over several days.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Lambert turned up at the victim’s home and refused to leave, insisting on discussing their relationship. Despite her attempts to avoid confrontation, his behaviour quickly escalated.

Prosecutor Lee Fish said Lambert pushed the woman down onto a sofa multiple times before forcing her backwards, causing her to fall to the floor and suffer pain to her shoulder.

He then restrained her, putting his arm tightly around her and squeezing her, while refusing to let her leave — even preventing her from going to the toilet.

The court heard Lambert became increasingly controlling and intimidating, accusing her of lying and verbally abusing her throughout the ordeal.

Matters escalated further when Lambert produced a knife. On one occasion, he was described as taking out a kitchen knife around 12 inches long, raising it before placing it in his pocket.

He also locked the back door of the property and kept the key, telling the woman to bring her children inside — effectively trapping her in her own home.

The court heard Lambert told her she would have to “make it up to him”, which she took as a reference to sex. Fearing for her safety, she complied with his behaviour while he remained armed.

Throughout the incident, the victim was said to be “petrified”, particularly as her young children were present.

She eventually managed to escape by running to a neighbour’s house under the pretext of taking out rubbish, where she raised the alarm.

The woman later suffered bruising to her lower back as well as soreness to her foot and side.

In a victim impact statement, she said the incident had taken place in front of her children and had left her living in fear. She added Lambert had since breached bail conditions by contacting her.

She also told the court that after his release, he attempted to persuade her to drop the charges, at one point offering her a puppy.

“I just want him to leave me alone,” she said, adding that his behaviour was dangerous and could lead to serious harm if left unchecked.

Lambert admitted offences of harassment and possessing a bladed article. The court also heard he had since been convicted of assaulting another partner.

Sentencing him, Recorder Andrew Smith handed Lambert a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years, along with 150 hours of unpaid work.

The judge told him: “You are a bully, Mr Lambert. You bullied this lady and while you were on bail you took up with another partner and bullied her.”

Defending, Alec Burns said Lambert was remorseful and had been working with probation.