Suspended sentence for former partner

A 35-year-old man whose behaviour towards his former partner made her feel like a prisoner in her own home has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Kevin Anderson, of Yorke Drive, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday for sentencing.

Anderson had denied repeatedly or continuously engaging in behaviour that was controlling or coercive — he would not let the woman end their relationship, threatened her with social services if she reported him to the police, would not let her out of her property alone and took possession of her phone. He also denied assaulting the woman on November 1.

He was found guilty after a day-long trial at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court and was sent to the crown court for sentence on both charges, along with a third charge of assault between October 1 and November 1, which he admitted.

Passing sentence, Judge Rosalind Coe said the woman was clearly very frightened.

“She was living in fear and too scared to stay in her own property — consequences of your behaviour,” she said.

She said references in support of Anderson painted a different picture of him. She said a significant trigger to his behaviour had been the illness and death of his mother.

Anderson was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years. He must complete 140 hours’ unpaid work, and attend a building better relationships course for 30 days with an additional ten days of rehabilitation.

The judge imposed a restraining order banning him from contacting the woman or going to her home or her child’s school.

'She felt like a prisoner'

The prosecutor, Mr Mark Knowles, said the woman decided to end the relationship after three weeks. Anderson had not allowed her out of the house on her own, checked her phone and denied her access to her family.

“When she decided to end it he kept saying: ‘It’s over when I say it is,’” said Mr Knowles.

“She felt like a prisoner. He controlled everything she said and she lives in fear of him.”

On November 1 he put her in a headlock, squeezed her neck so she could not breathe and held her head in a bin.

“He picked up a kitchen knife and waved it above her head,” said Mr Knowles.

“He said he was going to stab her and stab the phone.”

Anderson called the woman’s mother and while he did so she managed to run to a neighbour and call the police.

Mr Clarkson Baptiste, defending, said Anderson had been free of any offending for ten years.

“Something triggered the offending,” he said.

“The death of his mum tipped him over the edge and made him act in an inappropriate manner.”

Mr Baptiste said Anderson’s behaviour was out of character. He had shown remorse and suggested it could be a case suitable for a suspended sentence.