ABUSER MADE EX-PARTNER'S LIFE A MISERY OVER THREE YEARS
AN abuser made his ex-partner's life a misery during a daily campaign of coercive control, a court has heard.Liam Lloyd, then of Northwich, and his ex-partner, then of Knutsford, were together for around three years.
Chester Crown Court has heard how the abuse was more psychological than physical – screaming, shouting and slamming doors – apart from on one occasion where he hit the young woman in the head.
Prosecutor Ryan Rothwell said he was also manipulative about elements of the victim's appearance, and the victim's social life, playing a recording from a car's dashcam as an example of the mistreatment.
Mr Rothwell added: "[The victim] said she was not able to be herself and it had a huge effect emotionally.
She has paranoia and panic attacks and she is not able to leave the house without looking over her shoulder." Now living in Warrington, the civil construction worker and dad-of-two is in a new relationship as of two years ago.
Mitigating, Philip Tully said there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation for him in light of a lack of recent or relevant previous convictions.
Mr Tully said: "At the time of the offence he was a vulnerable person due to a diagnosis of ADHD." Lloyd, of Burton Road, Warrington, admitted one count of controlling and coercive behaviour at a pre-trial review after previously pleading not guilty.
On Monday, March 30, the 35-year-old was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, suspended for a year and a half, by Judge Simon Berkson.
The suspended sentence is with requirements including a one-year mental health treatment order, 20 days of rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work.
He must pay a total of almost £800 in court costs.
Judge Berkson said: "On many occasions it was mental torture as far as she was concerned." Lloyd cannot contact the victim directly or indirectly, by any means, for five years because of a restraining order.
He also cannot go to a specific street address in the Knutsford area for the same period as a result of the order.
