Jealous husband who bound wife’s hands with gaffer tape is jailed

Leeds Crown Court was told Michelle McWhirter was “petrified” when she woke to discover Andrew McWhirter in the bedroom at an address in Horbury, Wakefield.

The court heard 50-year-old McWhirter, of Hague Terrace, Hemsworth, had assaulted his wife of 21 years by repeatedly pushing her head into a pillow and punching her right leg on September 19.

Prosecutor, Brian Outhwaite said McWhirter launched that attack after his wife received a text message from a friend and he believed it was from another man.

McWhirter was arrested, charged with common assault and ordered not to contact his wife before being released on police bail.

Mr Outhwaite said Mrs McWhirter was woken at around 11.30pm on October 31 to discover her hands had been bound with gaffer tape.

Mr Outhwaite said McWhirter placed gaffer tape over his wife’s mouth, told he to stop making a noise and led her downstairs.

The court heard McWhirter was trying to intimidate his wife and told her he didn’t want to go to prison.

Mrs McWhirter suffered bruising to her hands and wrists.

Mr Outhwaire said: “She said she was petrified.”

McWhirter admitted two charges of assault and one charge of intimidation.

The court heard he has a string of previous convictions for offences of violence against his wife.

Mitigating, Keith Whitehouse said: “He has suffered from low mood and depression combined with a long standing jealousy.”

Mr Whitehouse added: “He accepts this relationship is now over.”

Jailing McWhirter for six months and imposing a three-year restraining order banning him from contacting His wife, Recorder Martin Simpson told him: You battered your wife causing bruising to her leg because of a paranoid belief she was carrying on with other men. Even if you were right, there can’t be any excuse for that sort of behaviour.”

Recorder Simpson added: “The most serious element from the court’s point of view is that attempt to intimidate a witness. That goes right to the core of the work the courts have to do.”