Domestic abuser 'made woman's life a misery'

Domestic abuser 'made woman's life a misery'

BBC

Tue, January 27, 2026 at 12:01 PM UTC

3 min read

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Mugshot of Steve Bulmer. He is clean shaven with short thinning hair. — Steven Bulmer made his partner's life a misery, a judge has said [Northumbria Police]

A drug-dealing domestic abuser who made his partner's life a "misery" has been jailed for three years and eight months.

Concerned friends and family of Martin Bulmer's partner noticed she regularly had injuries, lost a lot of weight and was constantly "on edge" during the relationship, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Bulmer, 37, admitted multiple offences including coercive and controlling behaviour, intentional strangulation and several attacks, one of which occurred on a holiday to Tenerife.

He was also part of a drug importing gang which was busted after a £7,500 package of cannabis was intercepted at Stansted Airport, with two co-defendants getting community order.

Bulmer, of Park Avenue in Sunderland, began a relationship with the woman in 2023, prosecutor Ian Cook said.

Over the following months, the woman's friend and mother noticed she lost up to four stone (25kg), had multiple bruises and injuries and her personality had changed, the court heard.

'No respecter of women'

The friend said she noticed the woman "running around like a skivvy" for Bulmer, who would frequently verbally abuse his partner, and said the woman seemed constantly "on edge".

Bulmer's victim revealed to her friend she "lived in fear" and had a "safety plan", which included not going into the kitchen when he was "in a mood" in case he tried to hurt her with any of the room's implements, the court heard.

One of the attacks occurred on a holiday in Tenerife in September or October 2024, when Bulmer swung her by her hair and headbutted her in the face in their hotel room, the prosecutor said.

Concerned hotel staff twice went to the room and police were eventually called, but no further action was taken as the victim did not wish to make a statement, the court heard.

She was left with two black eyes, bald patches where her hair had been ripped out and swelling to her cheek and lip, the court heard.

On 24 March 2025, after they broke up, Bulmer attacked her again when he went to her home to collect his belongings, pulling her nightie tight around her neck and using his hand to strangle her, Cook said.

Judge Graham Robinson said Bulmer's behaviour made a "misery" of his victim's life, adding he was "no respecter of the rights of women" and his ex-partner had been left with "significant psychological harm".

A restraining order banning Bulmer from contacting the woman was made to last indefinitely.

'Integral part of chain'

Bulmer was also jailed for his involvement in importing drugs, which came to light when a UK Border Force officer examined a parcel at Stansted Airport on 7 January 2023, Mr Cook said.

It had been sent on 12 December 2022 from California and was addressed to Terrance Sarsfield's home on Mill Lane, Whitburn, with a label suggesting it contained a wedding gift and $100 worth of clothes, the court heard.

The package was actually found to contain four bags of cannabis totalling 1.4kg (3lb) with an estimated value of up to £7,500, the court heard.

Police raided Sarsfield's home and seized his mobile phone which led them to Martin Glasper, 51, of Byron Terrace in Houghton-le-Spring.

At Glasper's home, they found a small cannabis farm of six plants, four seedlings and growing equipment, and his mobile phone which in turn led them to Bulmer.

The judge said all three played an "integral part of a chain of couriers" importing drugs.

Glasper and Sarsfield, 50, both admitted conspiracy to supply class B drugs and were each given an 18 month community order with 200 hours unpaid work.

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Domestic abuser 'made woman's life a misery'