EX-PARTNER STRANGLED AND USED AS 'HUMAN PUNCHBAG'
A “violent, controlling bully” who used his former partner as “a human punchbag” in an attack that broke her nose has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison.Over four months from September 2024 to January this year Martin Woodhouse also stalked the woman, turned up at her work, and even threatened to ram her car, driving at her and swerving, then punching her car window before driving away.
After accusing his partner of 22 years of being unfaithful, 39-year-old Woodhouse punched her multiple times “with full force”, threw her to the floor, and kicked and punched her some more.
He then sat astride her and strangled her until she passed out.
Prosecutor Nathan Davis told Bradford Crown Court how the victim, on regaining consciousness, called police but Woodhouse took her out of the house they shared in Mixenden, near Halifax, and drove her to a remote location where he assaulted her again.
He refused to let the victim go to hospital and instead drove her home but, when he left, she went to the police station and reported what had happened.
She thought he was going to kill her.
She was described as having “numerous and significant” injuries.
A CT scan at hospital revealed they included a broken nose.
Woodhouse denied the offences and said the woman had attacked him.
When released on bail he stalked her, turning up at a nightclub, a bar, and called her place of work to try and get her sacked.
He also threatened to ram his car into hers after meeting her in the street.
His victim was so frightened of Woodhouse that she left her home and moved into a refuge.
The court heard that she is “fearful that he will kill her when he gets out of prison.” Woodhouse, of Savoy Court, Stanningley, later pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, stalking putting someone in fear of violence, and two counts of dangerous driving when he evaded police as they tried to arrest him on January 28 and 29.
Mitigating, Nick Cartmell said Woodhouse wished to apologise to the victim “for everything that he has done”.
He added: “He looks back at it as a period of mist in his mind where he had superimposed his own infidelity onto her, persuaded himself that it was true, and in his fury and stupidity he knows he has thrown all that away.
“He destroyed in moment everything he had built up [with his partner] over the years.
“He is sorry for it all.” Sentencing Woodhouse, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, Her Honour Judge Sophie McKone said: “You, quite simply, are a violent, controlling bully.
“You subjected your long-term partner and mother of your children to a terrifying ordeal.
“You could not deal with the breakdown of the relationship.
You tried in the most frightening way to control her.
“You used her as a human punchbag.” Judge McKone sentenced Woodhouse to 54 months for attempted GBH plus 27 months, to be served consecutively, for stalking and six months each, concurrent to each other, for dangerous driving but consecutive to the other sentences making a total of 87 months, or seven years and three months.
He was handed a lifelong restraining order banning him from any contact with the victim and disqualified from driving for 66 months.
Judge McKone commended the officer in the case.
