THUG WHO BATTERED EX-PARTNER AND THREATENED TO TORCH HER FAMILY JAILED
A man convicted of multiple domestic abuse offenses and described by his former partner as a "monster" has received a five-year prison sentence.Albert Nelson, aged 32 and residing on Main Street in Gortin, County Tyrone, pleaded guilty to six counts including common assault, false imprisonment, causing actual bodily harm, making two threats to kill, possessing a Class B drug, and carrying a prohibited weapon a canister of pepper spray covering incidents from December 31, 2015, to August 24, 2016.
The victim, whose identity is protected by law, was not present at Downpatrick Crown Court during Nelson’s sentencing by Judge Piers Grant.
The judge highlighted how Nelson subjected his partner to both physical and emotional abuse.
This included threats to kill her while driving her around for hours, during which he claimed he was searching for a place to bury her body.
He also threatened to force her to watch her relatives being doused in petrol and burned.
The relationship, which began three years earlier, became highly intense and caused concern among the victim’s family.
On one occasion, after the victim was in the bath, Nelson forcibly entered the bathroom, pulled her out of the water, and pushed her against a mirror, breaking it.
Another incident involved Nelson threatening to stab her with a metal bar after feeling jealous when she was approached by other men.
The situation escalated between August 22 and 23, 2016, when Nelson locked her inside their home, fearing she would be murdered.
This followed a late-night trip to Tesco in Newtownards, where the victim spoke to a male staff member at a self-checkout, which enraged Nelson.
Upon returning to their vehicle, Nelson behavior turned violent, and he began “karate chopping” her throat, causing her to lose consciousness.
When she regained consciousness, she found Nelson holding a lit cigarette close to her face.
Back at home, he prevented her from leaving, threatened her with a knife, and physically assaulted her, throwing her around like a "rag doll.” The next day, she managed to escape to a nearby shopping center, locking herself in a disabled toilet, and called her father in tears, requesting him to pick her up.
Initially, Nelson denied all allegations and blamed the victim, describing their relationship as “toxic.” The court had ordered no contact between them for the past two years.
The court was told that the victim, once bubbly and outgoing, had become anxious, withdrawn, and now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Judge Grant remarked that Nelson had conducted a prolonged and serious pattern of abuse, causing significant psychological damage.
He explained, “The victim was imprisoned in a car and at their home.
She faced threats and abuse, with a tangible risk of death.
Her imprisonment only ended when she managed to escape; otherwise, she would have been subjected to ongoing violence and prevented from leaving.” Nelson, who admitted to all charges, is to serve two-and-a-half years in prison, with the remaining term on licence, and is prohibited from contacting the victim for ten years.
