Gateshead firefighter convicted of assault on wife

May 8 2011 by Sara Nichol, Sunday Sun

FIREMAN Ben Walker subjected his pregnant wife to a campaign of abuse…even holding a power drill to her stomach.

The violent thug punched, kicked, and throttled his new wife within months of them getting married.

And the 31-year-old, respected as a pillar of the community, even turned on a power drill and chillingly pointed it at her stomach.

Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard the abuse only stopped when his wife Amanda Walker plucked-up the courage to tell the police and press charges.

Now, Walker, who was living with his wife in Newcastle City Centre but moved down south, has been convicted of two charges of assault by beating and a further charge of common assault.

The former crew manager at Gateshead East Community Fire Station denied any abuse had taken place but was found guilty after trial.

The court heard that the couple married in June last year, five months after they met, and the abuse started just two months into the marriage.

Edith Sanderson, prosecuting, told magistrates both Mrs Walker's mam and a builder had witnessed at least two of the attacks.

One of the worst assaults happened when Mrs Walker was in the dining room of the couple's home.

Ms Sanderson said: “The defendant got hold of her by the head and was applying pressure and squeezing her head and then put his hands around her neck.

“She told him she was pregnant. He then got a drill and put it against her before turning it on. He then pointed the drill towards her stomach.”

The court heard that in another incident, the couple were driving when they argued and Walker again turned aggressive. He then lashed out and bit his wife's ear and grabbed her arm while she was driving.

Ms Sanderson said the abuse included “punches her to the body, throwing her on the floor, kicking her to the arms and legs, crushing her hands and threatening to hit her with the a stair bannister.”

In a victim statement read out to the court, Mrs Walker said she had lived in fear and had gone from being “a happy, confident woman to a nervous wreck”.

She said: “Ben emotionally blackmailed me and said that because of his job as a fireman, I would not be believed if I rang the police.”

Denise Jackman, defending Walker, said he still maintained he had never abused his wife and that Mrs Walker was “making-up” the claims for financial gain in the divorce.

Walker was sentenced to a 12-month community order with six months supervision. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and pay £500 costs.

Alan Robson, Area Manager for Human Resources with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are aware that this has been dealt with by the Magistrates Court and our understanding is that this is a personal matter not related to this individual's service."

In the Sunday Sun on May 8 we reported on the court case of firefighter Ben Walker, 31, of Newcastle, who was convicted at the city’s magistrates court of two charges of assault by beating and a further charge of common assault. Mr Walker has asked us to point out that he disputed prosecution claims that his wife was pregnant at the time of the attack. We are happy to clarify his position.