MARK MCGUINNESS – SHILDON, COUNTY DURHAM Man Cleared of Murder Jailed for Bruta…

❌MARK MCGUINNESS – SHILDON, COUNTY DURHAM❌

Man Cleared of Murder Jailed for Brutal Domestic Assault on wife

A man previously cleared of murder has now been jailed for a violent and prolonged assault on his wife and a child who attempted to help her.

Mark McGuinness, 56, of Thornhill Gardens, Shildon, was sentenced to three years in prison by Durham Crown Court on October 3, following a shocking domestic incident in July 2024. The court heard McGuinness strangled, punched, and threatened his wife with a knife, all in front of children.

The sentencing follows a dramatic decline in McGuinness’s mental health since a 2021 trial, where he was acquitted of murdering his neighbour, Rory Boyce.

2021 Murder Trial

In 2021, McGuinness stood trial at Newcastle Crown Court accused of stabbing Mr Boyce during a confrontation between the two families. The court heard the conflict began over noise complaints, with McGuinness claiming his ill child was disturbed by loud music coming from next door.

McGuinness, then 52, said he picked up a knife to scare his neighbour, not to harm him. He told the jury he had jumped over the garden fence with the blade pointing upward and that a physical struggle followed. He claimed he had no idea the knife had gone into Mr Boyce and said, “I didn’t mean to do him any harm.”

The jury found him not guilty of both murder and manslaughter.

2024 Domestic Assault

However, three years later, McGuinness launched a sustained and violent attack on his wife at their Bishop Auckland home. After an argument at a park, he returned home, accused her of cheating, and lashed out in front of children.

He strangled her briefly, slammed her face into tiles, and punched a child who tried to help. When urged to leave, he grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened to kill his wife. He threw her to the ground, locked her out of the house, and was arrested after police arrived to find a child crying.

In court, McGuinness claimed he had “flipped out” and didn’t remember the full extent of his actions. His wife was left with cuts, bruises, and long-term pain in her right hand. She later described her life as being “turned upside down” and now suffers from anxiety and sleeplessness. She also had to take time off work and installed cameras and extra locks for protection.

Mental Health Deterioration

The court was told that McGuinness’s mental state had sharply declined since his 2021 acquittal. His lawyer said he was suffering from PTSD stemming from the trial, and had since been diagnosed with ADHD. Despite being offered support, he failed to engage with mental health services in 2024.

Judge Richard Bennett described the July 2024 incident as a “deeply unpleasant, prolonged attack” and said it had caused “significant psychological harm” to his wife. He rejected any claim of self-defence.

McGuinness pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm, and one count each of intentional strangulation, criminal damage, and making threats with a knife.

He is now serving a three-year sentence, with the judge expressing hope that he will finally access the mental health support he has long needed.