A thug whose violence and controlling behaviour made his partner’s life a misery has been jailed for over three years.
Jordan Lee, 32, subjected the Northallerton woman to repeated violence and bullying behaviour for over two years with his “possessive”, controlling and sometimes sadistic behaviour towards her including gouging her eyes, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Michael Cahill said that Lee and the named victim formed a relationship in September 2023 and at first it appeared to be a “happy” one, but then Lee’s behaviour changed, fuelled in no small part by his excessive alcohol consumption.
The first episode of violence occurred on January 20, 2024, when the victim received a series of threatening messages from Lee while she was on a night out with friends in Darlington.
On returning to her home in Northallerton, Lee, who had been drinking, pinned her against a wall, took her mobile phone and changed its password so he could get access to it.
In other incidents, he would threaten to punch her while he was driving down back roads as she was sitting in the passenger seat. After such incidents, he would make her apologise to him “for making him act as he did”, said Mr Cahill.
“He would threaten to slash her car tyres, threatened her friends and threatened to destroy her belongings,” he added.
He would call her deeply offensive names which made her feel “isolated and anxious”.
“She became fearful of going out without him for fear of his reaction,” added Mr Cahill.
Violence occurred on multiple occasions which caused her injury, including once in August last year when he took her phone and “effectively locked her in the bedroom” by slamming the door shut with such force it came off its hinges and cut her toe as she tried to get out.
About two months later, on October 27, Lee, a stocky figure, started shouting at their dog. When she told him to stop, Lee grabbed her by the arms and “pulled her round the living room”, causing bruising to her arms.
Matters came to a head on January 31 this year when the victim went out for a drink with Lee and two friends for a birthday outing. Outside one of the pubs, Lee “jabbed” her on the cheek with his fist, then caused bruising to her arm by grabbing it forcefully.
Lee became increasingly drunk and later in the night he “jabbed” her in the jaw as they walked down the street.
When they returned home, he assaulted her, dragged her into the kitchen, stuck his thumbs in her eyes and “pushed them down”, causing injury.
The following day, she decided to end the relationship and tell police about her ordeal. Lee was duly arrested and brought in for questioning but denied all allegations.
He was charged with several offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, using controlling or coercive behaviour and intentional strangulation.
He denied all allegations but ultimately admitted using controlling behaviour against the victim on the day his trial was due to start.
The prosecution withdrew all other allegations including strangulation on which they offered no evidence.
Lee, of The Shepherdies, North Stainley, Ripon, appeared for sentence via video link today (September 11).
Mr Cahill said the controlling behaviour occurred between January 2024 and February this year and involved Lee “regularly shouting at (the victim)”, calling her “derogatory” names, threatening to damage her property, assaulting her and threatening to harm her friends.
In a statement read out by the prosecution, the victim said that Lee’s “aggression and controlling behaviour” had had a “huge impact on me and my mental health”.
She added: “I do not believe I can ever be the same person I was before (I met) him. I do not trust anymore. My anxiety has increased massively.”
Lee had 21 previous offences on his record including manslaughter. He was 14 years’ old when that offence was committed and 16 years of age when he was sentenced to a two-year youth detention order.
His rap sheet also included affray, public disorder and battery and he had been violent to a previous ex-partner.
In May 2024, he was given a suspended prison sentence for possession with intent to supply cocaine. He was now in breach of that sentence by dint of the new offence.
Defence barrister Sam Roxborough said that Lee had “struggled to manage his behaviour either in conflict or in a relationship, or when he is under the influence of alcohol”, but he was a good worker.
Judge Timothy Clayson said that Lee had subjected the victim to “ongoing jealousy and possessive behaviour” intending to cause “maximum fear and distress”.
Lee was handed a jail sentence of three years and four months, made up of 32 months for controlling behaviour and a consecutive eight-month sentence for breaching the suspended sentence.
He was told he would serve up to half of the total 40-month sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.
He was also made subject to a 10-year restraining order banning from going to the victim’s home and workplace.
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