CANVEY WOMAN AVOIDED PRISON OVER CAMPAIGN OF DOMESTIC ABUSE
A south Essex woman has avoided prison over a campaign of “reprehensible” domestic abuse against her boyfriend, including threatening to dig up his father’s corpse and feed it to pigs.A south Essex woman has avoided prison over a campaign of “reprehensible” domestic abuse against her boyfriend, including threatening to dig up his father’s corpse and feed it to pigs.
Basildon Crown Court heard how Lilly May Burns sent persistent death threats to her then-partner, tried to set fire to his home and threatened to falsely accuse him online of being a paedophile.
She also threatened to falsely report him to police for rape, and uploaded a Facebook post accusing him of being a woman-beater.
She also threatened to falsely report him to police for rape, and uploaded a Facebook post accusing him of being a woman-beater.
In truth, prosecutor Ciaran Smith said on Friday (January 9), it was Burns who was the abuser, subjecting her victim to slaps, bites and cigarette and lighter burns.
the prosecutor Ciaran Smith said on Friday (January 9), it was Burns who was the abuser, subjecting her victim to slaps, bites and cigarette and lighter burns.
She extorted money from him and threatened to telephone his workplace to make false allegations against him.
Burns, 23, of Glenwood, Canvey Island, pleaded guilty to engaging in coercive or controlling behaviour and sending threatening communications with intent.
Burns, 23, of Glenwood, Canvey Island, pleaded guilty to engaging in coercive or controlling behaviour and sending threatening communications with intent.
The relationship only lasted around two months, said Mr Smith, but the man was so frightened of Burns that he felt unable to leave.
The relationship only lasted around two months, said Mr Smith, but the man was so frightened of Burns that he felt unable to leave.
He eventually called police on March 29, 2023, and had her removed from his property.
“It was only at that point that he was actually able to end the relationship,” said Mr Smith.
“He literally couldn’t end the relationship without needing a police intervention.
He eventually called police on March 29, 2023, and had her removed from his property.
“She had said that she felt sorry for him because he was going to get his life taken by her,” the prosecutor recounted.
She had told him to “say goodbye to his family” because he was going to die that night.
She had told him to “say goodbye to his family” because he was going to die that night.
“She felt sorry for him because he was going to get his life taken by her,” added the prosecutor.
Among the abuse Burns dished out was smashing the man’s phone.
Among the abuse Burns dished out was smashing the man’s phone.
She said that was for being ignorant and not answering her quick enough, When the man refused to give her money to fund her cannabis use, she grabbed him by the throat dug her fingers into his skin.
The man said she had strangled him on numerous occasions.
She said that was for being ignorant and not answering her quick enough She would wake him up by slapping and punching him, he reported, and once shouted at him in public and threatened to spit phlegm in his face because he wouldn’t buy her a £100 necklace.
She would wake him up by slapping and punching him, he reported, and once shouted at him in public and threatened to spit phlegm in his face because he wouldn’t buy her a £100 necklace.
The man’s father had died, said Mr Smith, and Burns left him in fear of communicating with his mother or sister because “if the defendant would hear him speaking to any female on the phone, she would slap him on the face.” The man’s father had died, and Burns left him in fear of communicating with his mother or sister because “if the defendant would hear him speaking to any female on the phone, she would slap him on the face.” When he tried to end the relationship, she would either threaten him or threaten to kill herself.
She once claimed she might be pregnant and said she would kill the baby.
When he tried to end the relationship, she would either threaten him or threaten to kill herself.
She once claimed she might be pregnant and said she would kill the baby.
She threatened to burn down the victim’s home while he and his housemates were indoors.
She threatened to burn down the victim’s home while he and his housemates were indoors.
“She was actively trying to light the carpet with a lighter,” told the judge, saying “I don’t care, I want it to burn!” Police retrieved messages “threatening to post him on Facebook as a nonce, threatening to get him done for rape,” said the prosecutor.
Police retrieved messages “threatening to post him on Facebook as a nonce, threatening to get him done for rape,” said the prosecutor.
Burns once posted the man’s image online, captioned: “Name and shame this woman beater who beat me yesterday.” Burns once posted the man’s image online, captioned: “Name and shame this woman beater who beat me yesterday.” After the relationship finally ended, Burns sent further messages – some of them voice messages, rather than text – saying she was going to have the man stabbed or killed.
She also sent messages saying she and two men planned to dig up his father’s grave and feed his body to pigs.
She also sent messages saying she and two men planned to dig up his father’s grave and feed his body to pigs.
Her defence lawyer said Burns was “extremely vulnerable”, with learning difficulties, ADHD, autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), Asperger’s syndrome, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, and insomnia.
He argued Burns had shown remorse and a prison sentence “would be catastrophic for her mental health, her development, and her rehabilitation.” The judge called Burns’ conduct “nasty” and “reprehensible”, “aimed at humiliating and degrading”.
The judge said Burns’ behaviour constituted “an intensively abusive, difficult experience” for her victim.
However, noting Burns had committed no further offences over the years and the probation service believed she had a reasonable chance of rehabilitation, she sentenced Burns to 10 months suspended for 18 months, with an order to complete 20 days of rehabilitation.
