Sefton grandad launched sustained attack on wife after finding out she had an affair

A man who discovered his wife was having an affair has been jailed for 12 months after he threatened to electrocute her during a terrifying ordeal, Liverpool Crown Court heard.Gerald Brown repeatedly punched his partner, "whipped" her with a belt and warned he'd kill her with a knife.Brown, of Wood Street, Litherland, Sefton, denied carrying out any attack on the frightened mum-of-four.But he was found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, said photos showed the injuries she suffered during the "sustained assault".

The trial heard that Mr Brown's wife admitted to the affair after her husband became suspicious about her putting a lock on her phone, and when she refused to unlock it, he dropped the device in a fish tank.The jury heard he got a knife and told her he was going to kill her and to look at him, so he was the last person she saw before she died, before threatening to kill their dogs and attacking one of them.Judge Trevor-Jones said Brown picked up a bedside table lamp and was "threatening to electrocute her with that" by smashing it and putting it "in her mouth".He said Brown then prevented his wife from leaving until the morning, when they were due to collect their grandson.The victim said she would drive because he had drunk too much but then locked the doors of the car and drove to her daughter's house.Judge Trevor-Jones said the victim rang 999 "while cowering in her daughter's bedroom".

Sarah Holt, defending, said during the incident Brown tried to harm himself, adding"that's been something of an ongoing theme since", and he had now"lost everything".Ms Holt said: "The marriage has ended, the divorce has gone through, there's been no further incidents at all."The relationship with his children has broken down, irretrievably with at least two of the children, possibly with all four of them. He's lost his home and may still lose his employment."Judge Trevor-Jones said he had read a pre-sentence report and told Brown: "You remain in denial about what you did."He said Brown hadn't accepted the extent of the attack and felt aggrieved about "the division of matrimonial assets".He accepted mitigating features included his lack of previous violence and ill health, but said a prison term was the only appropriate punishment as he jailed Brown for 12 months.If you have been affected by any issues mentioned in this article, you can contact the Domestic Violence Helpline for free on 0808 2000 247.