LIVERPOOL MAN SENT TO PRISON FOR ABUSING GIRLFRIEND AFTER 14-MONTH TERROR
A woman who was unaware of her boyfriend's dangerous nature broke down in court when he was sentenced.Ricky Coddington, 34, had terrorized his girlfriend Claire Wenham for 14 months, during which he threatened her, isolated her from her family, and forced her to quit her job.
Their destructive relationship culminated in November 2022 when Coddington, in a fit of rage, deliberately crashed his car into hers after she left to attend a football match.
Claire described him as "like Jekyll and Hyde," explaining that "He'd love-bomb one minute and then he'd be violent and aggressive the next." Despite denying controlling behavior and assault, Coddington was found guilty last month following a trial.
He received a three-year prison sentence and was issued a restraining order for 10 years to prevent contact with Claire.
Claire shared her ordeal, saying: "I live in fear, constantly worrying what he's going to do next.
I'm always checking over my shoulder because I do not feel safe.
I had to put cameras up in my house.
I feel like I have failed my family and myself." She also revealed how Coddington's control led her to give up multiple jobs, and how she is now receiving treatment for PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
The court noted his history of domestic abuse, with four previous convictions for seven offenses related to former girlfriends, including assaults and criminal damage.
Judge Ian Harris emphasized that Coddington's behavior was driven by insecurity and low self-esteem, which resulted in a pattern of violence against female partners.
Claire urged others to use Clare's Law, a policy that allows individuals to find out if their partner has a history of violence, stating: "If there's any doubt in your mind, go and get a Clare's Law, because if I had, I might not be in the position I'm in now." After hearing the verdict, Claire expressed relief, saying: "When I heard the verdict, I cried.
I wasn't there in person, I heard it over the phone.
But I was inconsolable with relief." She concluded by reflecting on how she had been blindsided: "I didn't even know about his previous convictions.
He had a job at Gulliver's World.
Why would I assume he was dangerous?" Coddington's past convictions include assault causing actual bodily harm in 2015, and criminal damage, ABH, and battery in 2016.
The court's judge stated that Coddington's violent nature posed a high risk of serious harm to future partners and a medium risk to children if witnesses domestic violence—highlighting the importance of awareness and precaution in abusive relationships.
