Booze-fuelled hubby slapped his wife and grabbed her throat

A cruel husband has told how alcohol makes him aggressive after he repeatedly slapped his vulnerable wife and grabbed her by the throat.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, February 8, how David McFadden, 73, of Fletcher Street, Ripley, had been arguing with his wife after they had been together at an allotment and they returned home and opened a bottle of wine before the defendant became abusive.

Prosecuting solicitor Sarah Haslam said: “The defendant has had two strokes which stopped him from drinking alcohol but he started again on this day.

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“His wife has a brain injury and slurs her words and is a vulnerable victim. There was an argument after they had been at the allotments and he called her names and they opened a bottle of wine.”

Mrs Haslam explained another man was with the couple but after he left the defendant became “horrible” and he threw his wallet at his wife’s back before insulting her and slapping her and throwing her to the floor.

The defendant then began washing the pots as the complainant sent a text message to the man who had previously been at their home for him to call the police, according to Mrs Haslam.

The court heard that the defendant subsequently struck his wife several times to her face by slapping her and he grabbed her by the throat with both hands and then threw her mobile phone across the room.

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Mrs Haslam added that McFadden’s wife stated that she has been left devastated and she had told her husband to stop but he had carried on being cruel and she added that despite being kind to others he becomes angry when he has been drinking.

McFadden initially told police he could not remember much about the incident but later admitted that alcohol makes him aggressive and he had been aggressive towards his wife and police and recalled slapping his wife and calling her names.

Defence solicitor Ian McLeod said the couple had been together a long time but something had snapped on this occasion. He added that McFadden has been unwell and has bowel cancer.

The defendant pleaded guilty to assault by beating after the incident at Dannah Crescent, Ripley, on January 22.

Magistrates adjourned the case until February 15 to consider a probation report before sentencing.