18 years in jail for ‘cage fight dream’ murder bid
JUDGE SLAMS ‘MANIPULATIVE ATTACKER’ WHO SHOWED NO GLIMMER OF REMORSE
AN alcoholic builder who claimed he strangled his partner while dreaming he was cage fighting has been jailed for 18 years.
A judge told “manipulative” Bradley Souto, 31, he had shown “no glimmer of remorse” for what he did to the mother of his two children.
AN alcoholic builder who claimed he tried to strangle his partner while dreaming he was cage fighting has been jailed for 18 years.
A judge told “manipulative” Bradley Souto he had shown “no glimmer of remorse” for what he did to the mother of his two children.
The 31-year-old denied attempting to murder his partner of 10 years, Rebecca Jackson.
That meant she had to relive her horrific ordeal giving evidence in court.
But a jury spent a little over an hour to convict him of the charge.
Sending Souto to prison, Judge Robert Egbuna said: “On November 13, 2019, you attempted to kill your partner of 10 years, the mother of your two children aged three and five. Why you attempted this coldhearted act was borne out of hate and deep-seated contempt.
“You watched the mother of your children chillingly have to tell the court how you uttered the words to her ‘don’t worry this won’t take much longer.’
“You have shown no glimmer of remorse, you are a manipulative individual.
“There can be no doubt the attempt to kill was planned as you waited for her to fall asleep. She was in a vulnerable position as being asleep she was not able to offer any significant resistance.
“Paramedics found Rebecca Jackson lying on the bed gasping for breath. She was purple in colour and her heart rate was low.
“In her victim impact statement she tells how she has nightmares, she can’t get the vision of your actions out of her head.”
Souto’s trial, at Derby Crown Court in January, heard how the defendant and Miss Jackson had been in a relationship for a decade.
In late 2018, his alcoholism spiralled to the extent that he was downing as many as 18 cans of Strongbow a night.
That led to them splitting up in January 2019 with 31-year-old Miss Jackson taking their children and going to live with her parents.
But she moved back to their Farm Drive home in May 2019, after Souto promised to cut down his booze consumption.
Giving her evidence on the first day of the trial, Miss Jackson said she woke to find Souto strangling her as they lay in bed together at around 10pm on November 14, 2019.
She said she heard her then partner say to her “don’t worry this won’t take much longer”.
In a victim impact statement, read to the court by prosecutor Jonathan Straw, Miss Jackson said: “My life has gone from being stable to being completely blown away.
“Apart from taking my children to school, I never leave the house alone. I can no longer sleep easily at night and I can no longer let my children hug me around the neck.
“I can’t think about starting a new relationship and the thought of sharing a bed with someone else terrifies me.
“I don’t know if this is something I will ever get over. I can’t imagine a time when my life will ever be normal again.”
Souto, when he gave evidence said he was dreaming he had an opponent in a choke hold during a cage fight and woke to find he was strangling his victim.
He then first called his mother who told him to phone 999. By chance an ambulance was in close proximity on its way to another job when it was diverted to Souto’s address.
As a paramedic worked on Miss Jackson in the bedroom the defendant went downstairs into the kitchen and slit his wrists in an apparent suicide attempt. Nicola Hunter, his barrister, said: “I hope after today when he is finally sentenced she (Miss Jackson) can move on and start to rebuild her life and that the clear psychological harm (she is suffering) will improve.
“(But) my submission is that this was spontaneous rather than a planned attempt to kill. Alcohol took over his life and ruined his relationship.
“He’s desperately sorry, he will probably never see his children again and he certainly won’t see Rebecca Jackson again.”
Why you attempted this cold-hearted act was borne out of hate and deep-seated contempt. Judge Robert Egbuna