Cramlington dad Anthony Martin avoids prison for shoving his wife down the stairs and breaking her arm

Anthony Martin's victim suffered a broken arm and bruising to her face, knee and elbow after she was shoved from behind in the shocking attack last December.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the couple had met in January 2019 and married in November of that year.

Martin, who had been married before, failed to tell his new wife that he had an adult daughter from his previous marriage – who ended up moving in with them.

The court heard tensions developed in the household, which came to a head on December 7 last year, after a row about Facebook.

Prosecutor Emma Dowling told the court their relationship was "generally good" at the beginning, but had started to deteriorate.

She added: "She discovered he had a daughter that he had kept secret from her.

"The daughter moved in and this caused friction between the parties.

"On December 7 last year at about 9.30pm, Mrs Martin had gone to bed. The defendant came into the bedroom and asked her why she had blocked his daughter on Facebook, at which she replied 'I don't have to answer to either of you, but I don't want to see what she posts'.

"It started an argument about Facebook.

"Mrs Martin got out of bed and went to speak to his daughter, they exchanged words as well.

"As she left the daughter's bedroom she states she was holding onto two banisters to walk downstairs when she felt a very hard push from behind, she felt two hands pressing on her back, shoving, causing her to lose balance and fall downstairs.

"She didn't roll or hit the stairs, she landed on her face at the bottom."

The court heard the victim suffered immediate, severe pain and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Martin told police he had "pushed her half way down the stairs".

In a statement, the wife said: "I have moved my entire life for him, I have no friends or family nearby.

"I can no longer see a relationship with Anthony. When I look back at our relationship, I feel foolish I let it go on for so long. I never thought he would do this."

Martin, 49, of Lodsworth Drive, Cramlington, admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

The court heard the couple now plan to get back together. The victim attended court in support of her husband and refused to engage further with the prosecution.

Jamie Adams, mitigating, said the offence was impulsive, occurred in a "nanosecond" and was not premeditated.

He added: "This is a couple clearly trying their best to put their lives back together again and they need help to do so.

"They want the awful incident to be put behind them. He recognises he's got problems."

Mr Adams said Martin, who is in employment and has a good work record, had vulnerabilities due to a troubled childhood.

Judge Sarah Mallett sentenced Martin to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 21 months, with rehabilitation and programme requirements, and fined him £300.

The judge said Martin has a good prospect of rehabilitation and was of positive previous character, with strong mitigation.