NORTH WALES MAN JAILED FOR CONTROLLING AND ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS WIFE
A 74-year-old man was convicted of assaulting and abusing his wife, Amanda Jane Lloyd, whom he called a "cripple" and subjected to physical and emotional torment over a period of three years.Geoffrey Pennington, from Northop, was found guilty at Mold Crown Court of controlling and coercive behavior against Ms Lloyd, who suffers from osteoporosis and other health issues.
The case escalated after Ms Lloyd secretly recorded her husband attacking her and reported the incidents to police, during which she is also seeking divorce.
The court heard that on August 16 last year, Pennington was outside their home speaking to a neighbor.
When Ms Lloyd told him her tea was ready, he responded aggressively, saying, "Don't you f***** tell me when to come in." Later, he refused to take her to a hair appointment, forcing her to take a taxi instead.
After returning from the pub at 8 p.m., Pennington displayed drunken and abusive behavior, which prompted Ms Lloyd to record him.
According to prosecutor David Mainstone, Pennington then physically assaulted her, pulling her hair, slapping her, headbutting her above the left eye, and showering her face with saliva.
He also threatened to bite off her left ear and expressed a desire for a partner he could have sex with three times a day without needing a wheelchair.
Despite feeling utterly worthless, Ms Lloyd called emergency services.
The abuse worsened when Pennington held a serrated knife to her throat, threatening to kill her and then himself.
Police arrived at the scene, and in an interview, Pennington claimed his wife was an alcoholic who often fell and hurt herself.
Ms Lloyd stated in a victim impact statement that she is afraid of her husband and that he has caused her to lose her quality of life, having previously kicked her hard enough to develop cellulitis.
The court reviewed recordings of the abuse, described as harrowing, which revealed a pattern of humiliation, degradation, and violence.
The judge emphasized that the abuse was motivated by hostility toward her disability and labeled it a "disability hate crime" spanning three years.
Despite the evidence, the judge found that the case did not meet the criteria for a hate crime.
Pennington was sentenced to 28 months in prison and was given an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting Ms Lloyd by any means, approaching her residence, or mentioning her on social media.
The court recognized the severe emotional and physical impact on Ms Lloyd, who has experienced suicidal thoughts due to the ongoing abuse.
