Eddie Kidd's wife jailed for five months for assaulting the paralysed motorbike stuntman

Samantha Kidd pleaded guilty to four counts of assault

Paralysed motorbike stunt rider Eddie Kidd (PA)

The estranged wife of paralysed former motorbike stunt rider Eddie Kidd has been jailed for five months for his assault.

Samantha Kidd, 44, pleaded guilty to four counts of assault by beating of the 54-year-old wheelchair-bound star days before she was due to face a two-day trial last month.

Brighton Magistrates' Court heard on Thursday that Kidd attempted to throttle him, slapped him on the the face and chest, kicked him, and called him a "f****** spastic", a remark Kidd claimed was what he referred to himself as.

Prosecutor Suzanne Soros said that on one occasion Kidd's husband, who was left paralysed and brain-damaged after an accident during a stunt in August 1996, was left shaking and "absolutely hysterical" by her actions.

Kidd entered court ushered in by several minders whilst covering herself with an umbrella.

Opening the prosecution case, Ms Soros said: "The Crown says this was a course of conduct against a man who is suffering with severe disability."

In one incident, Kidd rained a series of blows on him after she was woken up, according to a witness.

Kidd told him: "For f***'s sake, Eddie. How do you expect me to sleep?"

Ms Soros said Kidd continued with "a barrage of abuse and swearing" before launching a quick succession of half a dozen blows to his face and head.

In a statement, the witness said that Kidd had appeared to have "lost the plot" and had to be forcefully pulled off him.

Ms Soros said that by his demeanour, Eddie Kidd appeared to be "shaken up" by the incident.

She added: "He was completely unable to defend himself from the attack from Sam or take any action to protect his face or head."

On another occasion, Ms Soros said she also slapped Mr Kidd in retaliation after a carer had difficulty helping him out of a car and into a wheelchair.

Ms Soros said: "The slap was described by the witness as being very aggressive to Mr Kidd's chest."

In a separate incident, the court heard Kidd slapped Mr Kidd's face in "retaliation and frustration" at his hand coming into contact with her after it slipped off a rail.

Ms Soros said: "In hindsight, she accepts that her view of that had been distorted by her stress and alcohol consumption at the time."

On another occasion, a witness heard Mr Kidd call out to them, and found Kidd with her hands round the front of his throat.

The witness yelled out: "What the f*** do you think you're doing?", the court heard.

A struggle ensued and Kidd had to be forced to let go of her estranged husband who was "absolutely hysterical", Ms Soros said.

Alissa Scott-Beckett, defending, said Kidd had no intention of rekindling a relationship with her husband.

However, she said she would like them to be friends in the future, and that Mr Kidd had sent her text messages asking to meet up, which she had resisted.

Ms Scott-Beckett said Mr Kidd had suffered a "serious deterioration" in his physical state, leading Kidd to binge drinking.

She added: "She found herself still loving Mr Kidd but not being able to mentally cope with the stresses that the relationship had.

"She found herself in a coping strategy of excessive alcohol consumption. That is now thankfully under control but that is the way she felt she was able to cope with the situation."

Ms Scott-Beckett said the situation had been brought about by the "circumstances of the relationship" and Kidd's inability to cope.

She went on, saying that Kidd - who has no previous convictions - herself had been a victim in what was a "volatile and difficult" relationship but that she accepted responsibility for the offences.

Kidd has been abused and assaulted in the street which had exacerbated mental health concerns since entering her pleas, Ms Scott-Beckett said.

"Mrs Kidd has suffered from considerable mental anguish. She apologises profusely to any mental stress this has caused him," she added.

Kidd, of High Street, Seaford, East Sussex, displayed no emotion as district judge William Ashworth sentenced her to five months prison, concurrent on each count, and imposed a restraining order.

After sentence was passed, Ms Scott-Beckett asked for Kidd to be freed on bail pending the outcome of an appeal.

But district judge Ashworth refused to grant bail and said Kidd had committed an "abuse of trust and power".

"I have agonised about this sentence and bail is not appropriate."

He continued: "These four assaults on Eddie Kidd represent a pattern of violent behaviour towards your husband which, taken together, are in the highest bracket for sentencing guidelines because your husband was particularly vulnerable and due to the repeated assaults on a disabled person."

He added: "Whatever you felt about his disability, you didn't shy away from raining six punches on him or slapping, kicking and throttling him so much that you had to be pulled off him.

Additional reporting by PA