OFFENDER JAILED FOR CAMPAIGN OF HARASSMENT AND VIOLENT ASSAULT ON EX-PARTNER
A man known for a brutal campaign of harassment and violence against his former partner has been sentenced to prison.Ben Hodson-Walker, aged 33, engaged in disturbing acts such as standing at his victim's bedside, causing her to wake and find him there, as detailed at Derby Crown Court.
His abusive conduct culminated in a violent assault where he strangled her inside a car and pushed her into a ditch.
A witness described the assault as him nearly folding her in two.
The woman, in a statement, said she now feels like a different person and regrets not standing up to Hodson-Walker sooner.
Residing on Burton Road in Rosliston, Hodson-Walker received a sentence of 35 months for all criminal charges.
Judge Shaun Smith KC observed that Hodson-Walker’s behavior had prolonged suffering for his victim starting around 2020.
The relationship initially was positive but worsened over time.
Following an incident where he threw a brick through her window, he was issued a restraining order, yet he continued to send messages and visit her, rekindling the relationship by Christmas 2021.
On April 28, 2022, he returned to her home, stood at the foot of her bed, and kept up harassment for several days.
His behavior escalated on May 20, 2022, when he knocked on her door, terrifying her and leading to his arrest.
Despite being bailed, he returned a day later, behaved aggressively, and committed acts of physical violence.
During the assault, he obstructed her attempt to escape, wrapped his arm around her neck, and nearly caused her to fold in two, while a bystander heard her screams.
The victim expressed that she now feels worthless and wishes she had confronted Hodson-Walker earlier.
He pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, driving while disqualified, and breaching a restraining order.
The court extended the restraining order to ten years.
Witnesses recounted the strangulation and pushing her into a ditch, with one hearing her cries for help.
It was also noted that Hodson-Walker, a disqualified driver, was intoxicated during the incident.
The victim, a mother to a young son, gave a statement recounting her experience.
The defense highlighted Hodson-Walker’s remorse and desire to change.
The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offenses and the harm caused to his victim.
