Salford businessman jailed for beating wife

Mark Doyle, 50, from Lower Broughton, Salford, pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court where he was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison.

Doyle had become a heavy drinker after his business went bust and often went out on drink binges.

On the night of the incident, Mr Doyle's wife Tracey returned to the house she shared with her husband of 17 years to find he was not there.

Mr Doyle returned home drunk later that evening and repeatedly beat Mrs Doyle over the head with a rolled up newspaper before punching her on the back of the head five times.

As Mrs Doyle struggled to reach the phone to call for help, Mr Doyle picked up a chair and threatened to hit her with it.

A passer-by heard Mrs Doyle screaming from inside the house and alerted police.

She was left with a bruise to her right eye and still suffers from headaches. She said: “I have put up with Mark for years and this is the final straw”.

Joe O’Connor, defending, argued that Mr Doyle’s relationship with alcohol was to blame for his behaviour and at the time of the offence Mr Doyle would drink "anything he could lay his hands on."

District Judge Jonathan Feinstein, sentencing, said: “This was a very terrifying incident. She must have been absolutely terrified.”

He added: “Offences of this sort against defenceless women must be met with a custodial sentence”.

Since the incident Doyle has tried to tackle his drink problem and now “only drinks three times a week,” said Mr O’Connor.