Teen who watched mum’s partner abuse her spared jail for stabbing him

A teenager who stabbed his mum’s abusive ex-partner after having to watch him ‘belittle, humiliate and beat’ her for years has been spared jail.

Harley Bowring, 19, admitted GBH after attacking Ben Vout at his mother’s home in Middlesborough on August 7 last year.

But the judge agreed to suspend his 18-month prison sentence after being told of the ‘significant relevant history’ behind the assault.

The teen’s barrister Jonathan Walker told Teesside Crown Court: ‘This defendant was subjected to watching his mother being belittled, humiliated, beaten black and blue, to such an extent that his family removed him from that home because he wasn’t safe there and that took place at 14.

‘This offence is one of a very rare species of offences that comes about when that type of behaviour provokes an uncharacteristic reaction from another.’

Mr Walker told the judge Vout – who played no part in the legal proceedings – abused Bowring’s mum every time her son came to visit because ‘that’s what he enjoyed’.

‘Vout told him he would beat him and goaded him about the abuse he subjected his mother to,’ he added. ‘And eventually, he lost control and lost control for a very short period of time.’

The judge, Mr Recorder Andrew Smith MBE, told the teenager that the unusual set of circumstances meant he could impose a suspended sentence.

He said: ‘This is a very serious offence. It is just a matter of good luck that Ben Vout was not much more seriously injured, and it was not through design on your part.

‘This was as a result of anger and feelings of revenge. You went with someone else, and you went with a weapon.

‘You laid about him with a knife stabbing him several times.’

Bowring was sentenced to 18 months in custody suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and made subject of a three-month curfew between 7pm and 7am.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Fears grow of ‘copycat’ Christmas market attack after five killed in Germany

MORE: Just Stop Oil protester, 77, recalled to jail because her wrists are too small for a tag

MORE: Scientist who helped design breathalysers banned from driving for failing one