Man jailed over attack on partner
A man has been jailed for five years after he strangled his partner, then forced her into his car which he sped around Scarborough “like a lunatic”.
Ricky Wells, 30, was in a “fit of rage” when he forced the woman into the car and continued assaulting her as he drove around the town and shot through red lights, York Crown Court heard.
The victim, who was named in court, thought Wells was going to “drive them off a cliff ” and believed she was goingtodie,saidprosecutorAshleigh Metcalfe.
The horrific series of incidentsbeganwithanargument at the woman’s home in Scarborough over a Facebook comment she had posted.
Wells was so aggressive that the victim left the house and went to her mother’s.
When she returned home in the early evening, Wells had gone but had taken her house keys.
“She tried to secure the front door by putting a chair (up against) the door handle (but) Wells returned (at night) and searched the house, looking for (the named man), saying he would kill him,” added Ms Metcalfe.
Heslappedthevictimtwice and began throttling her while continuing to hit her.
He then grabbed a large kitchen knife which he brandished in front of her, saying: “I will kill you.”
He initially denied the offencesbutpleadedguiltyatthe last minute.
Wells, from Scarborough but of no fixed address, appeared for sentence via video link on Friday September 16, after being remanded in custody. His solicitor advocate David Camidge said Mills now accepted that his behaviour towards the victim was “appalling and disgraceful”.
“He looks back on these events with disgust.”
He said Wells had always been a working man and had two jobs at the time of the offences, which, together with “difficulties” in the relationship with the victim, had put him under a lot of pressure.
“On this occasion things got too much for him and effectively he lost his head,” added Mr Camidge.
Jailing Wells for five years, Judge Sean Morris told him the offences were so serious that he would have to serve two-thirds of that sentence behind bars.
Wells was also given a 10-year restraining order banning him from contacting the victim directly and received a 52-month driving ban.