FORMER MET POLICE OFFICER TRACKED EX-GIRLFRIEND AND REFUSED TO LET HER SPEAK TO HER FRIENDS
A former officer of the Metropolitan Police, Mathew Cooper, aged 24, has avoided imprisonment despite engaging in abusive behaviour towards his partner.Over an 18-month period, he coerced her into placing her phone on loudspeaker and restricted her from contacting friends.
Cooper also forcibly controlled her finances by criticising her purchases and threatened self-harm or violence should she attempt to end the relationship.
Cooper, living in Canary Wharf, pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive conduct within an intimate relationship earlier in the year.
On December 1, he received a seven-month jail sentence suspended for two years for his actions.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that the relationship started in June 2019 when the victim was 19.
After they moved in together in August, incidents of violence emerged, including him punching walls and throwing objects.
He also made threats to harm himself with a knife and to kill her.
He displayed violent episodes, including self-punching, and limited her communication with others.
In early 2020, the couple moved to her parents’ house, where her father noted Cooper’s rude behaviour and authoritative attitude.
Shortly afterwards, she decided to train as a police officer, a plan Cooper opposed.
His controlling behaviour intensified, with messages that prohibited her from buying a laptop or a white bag, and demands that she seek permission to shop or see friends.
A neighbour described Cooper as mood-shifting and believed that she handled all household tasks.
Prosecutor Mr Unwin shared that after relocating to a new address in August 2020, Cooper’s aggressive behaviour worsened, including shouting and intimidating her.
She felt compelled to comply with his demands to avoid conflict.
Their disagreements, often about minor issues like food choices or household items, escalated to violence in late November 2020 when Cooper, paranoid about being talked about behind his back, cut his forearm with a kitchen knife.
He tracked her location via the Find My Friends app and would send persistent texts and calls if she was not where he expected.
Following an encounter with her father, he reacted violently, smashing furniture and punching walls.
When she expressed her wish to end the relationship, he broke down and proposed marriage, shifting blame onto her.
On December 9, 2020, she confided in colleagues about his behaviour and was advised to report it to the police.
Cooper was detained and later admitted to controlling and coercive behaviour.
During sentencing, she disclosed the significant impact on her health and career, including weight loss and leaving her police job due to stress and fear of encountering him.
Her parents described her as once happy and outgoing, now withdrawn.
His defence lawyer claimed Cooper had undergone a period of self-discovery, was diagnosed with depression and autism, and had moved out of London, losing his job.
The lawyer expressed remorse on Cooper’s behalf.
Judge Matthew Hodson sentenced Cooper to a seven-month prison sentence suspended for two years, with additional requirements including a 30-day accredited program, 25 days of rehabilitation, and 60 hours of unpaid work.
He was ordered to pay £200 costs and granted a five-year restraining order prohibiting contact or proximity to the victim.
