Woman felt like a prisoner in own home after being assaulted by ex

AWOMAN said she felt like a prisoner in her own home after an onslaught of abuse and threats from her former partner, a court has heard.

Christopher McAvoy, aged 34, of Chapel Close, Kehelland, Camborne, pleaded guilty to two charges of common assault and harassment towards his ex-partner in connection with a series of incidents at her home between September and December last year.

Truro Crown Court, where he appeared for sentencing on Thursday, April 18, heard the three-year relationship between McAvoy and his former partner had broken down, and after barging into her home in the city he grabbed her by the throat.

Ramsay Quaife, for the prosecution, said McAvoy’s former partner was at home with their young son when she heard a knock on the door.

Thinking it might be a delivery man, she put the seccurity chain n the door and opened it, only to be confronted by McAvoy, who insisted on coming in and speaking to her.

Mr Quaife said McAvoy’s ex did not want to let him in and was just closing the door and taking the chain off when he forced his way inside.

“He pushed his way in and entered the property”, he told the court. “He grabbed her by the throat. She described the pain as being seven out of 10, but could breathe.

“She tried to escape the defendant but he grabbed her and pushed her down on to the floor. When she said she’d call the police he ran away.”

Mr Quaife said McAvoy then subjected her to a barrage of messages and emails which had lasted for several weeks.

In one such message McAvoy said

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She didn’t deserve to be treated in this way Judge Robert Linford

he would make her life so hard she’d wish she had never met him.

Police were called and McAvoy was arrested and interviewed. He denied assaulting her at first but admitted making contact with her.

The court heard that between October and late December last year McAvoy continued to send unpleasant messages to his ex, including on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

He also went to her address demanding to see his son, and had to be persuaded to leave.

Mr Quaife said that on December 28 McAvoy sent his former partner a message saying he was on his way to her property to kill her.

Police were called again and he was arrested outside her house, where he had been kicking her door and shouting similar threats.

“A number of personal impact statements have been [made] by his victim in which she said she is scared of him and feels like a prisoner in her own home, and now wants to move away from the area because she’s scared of him.”

Sentencing McAvoy to 28 days in prison – meaning he was set at liberty, having already spent 36 days in prison on remand – Judge Robert Linford told him: “You were involved in a relationship that deteriorated.

“You could have left it there, but you instead ended up grabbing her by the throat and pushing her to the floor, and sending her a series of unpleasant messages.

“She didn’t deserve to be treated in this way.”

McAvoy was also ordered to pay £85 in costs.