FALMOUTH MAN RIKKI PAVLOU JAILED FOR VIOLENT PARTNER ABUSE
A violent thug who kicked, strangled and spat at his partner regularly told her he would rape her male friends and do terrible things to animals if she left him.Rikki Leigh Antonio Pavlou, aged 29, of High Street, Falmouth, appeared at Truro Crown Court today (Tuesday) for sentencing after pleading guilty to two charges of assault of a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm, engaging in controlling / coercive behaviour in an intimate / family relationship, intentional strangulation and stalking.
He started his relationship during the first lockdown, which quickly turned violent and abusive.
“He would punch her, kick her and spit at her,” said Prosecutor Ramsay Quaife.
“But the main thing he did was grab her by the throat.
She lost count of how many times he did this to her.
Violence became a regular occurrence, and she accepted beatings from him.
She was too scared to go to the police or ask for help.
He also put Valium in her drinks without her knowledge, causing her to become reliant on it.
She tried to leave him multiple times, but he threatened to kill himself, rape her male friends, or harm animals if she did.
He apologized, claiming he was a damaged soul.
He controlled and coerced her throughout, including an incident in December 2021 where he grabbed her by the throat, punched her, and repeatedly kicked her, leading her to seek medical care for her damaged collarbone.
On October 29, 2022, during an argument, he damaged her phone and then pinned her against the kitchen door, grabbing her by the neck again.
She screamed, and he kicked a bathroom door into her head before leaving.
He was arrested on February 8, last year, but remained silent during police interview and was released on bail with a condition not to contact her.
Within hours, he was back at her address, threatening her.
He later breached bail conditions, and her victim impact statement revealed she had no life due to her fear of him, with mental health issues and alcohol use as coping mechanisms.
His defense argued he suffered PTSD from witnessing terrible things at 15 and struggled with drug abuse.
Sentencing him to four years and four months in prison, the judge highlighted the terror and control Pavlou exerted, especially through strangulation, which causes great fear.
A restraining order trial is scheduled later this week.
