Whitchurch man jailed for coercive control in Oswestry

William Varey was verbally and physically abusive towards his victim, stole jewellery, damaged her mobile phone, and bite her on the wrist.

He also chased her across a park when she did leave the property.

The 46-year-old, of Church Street in Ightfield, Whitchurch, admitted coercive and controlling behaviour, ABH, theft of a ring worth £600 and a bracelet worth £350, and criminal damage to a mobile phone worth £249, on the day of his trial at Telford Magistrates' Court earlier this year.

He was sentenced on Tuesday (January 6) at Shrewsbury Crown Court, which heard the offences took place in Oswestry around September 11.

Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting, told the court Varey had gone to see his former partner on the day of his release from prison on a separate matter in August.

She said: "He told her that he loved her and went back to her accommodation, where he remained for the next two or so weeks. He took her front door key so she couldn't leave and effectively locked her up."

Ms Proctor said that over that period, Varey would get drunk and call his victim names, he caused damage to her home, and was violent towards her.

She said: "On one occasion, he removed her bracelet and ring, and bit her on the hand and wrist. Another time he grabbed her by the arm to stop her from answering the door to her support worker. He put his hand over her mouth to stop her from shouting for help."

Ms Proctor said the support worker noticed a change in Varey's victim and that she had returned to drinking alcohol after working hard to stay sober.

The court was told that on September 11, the victim left the property. She phoned her sister, but during the phone call Varey could be heard with his victim, asking him to 'get off me'. Varey then smashed the phone on his knee.

Ms Proctor said around the same time, the social worker attended the victim's home and found a fridge across the door. When she entered the rear of the property, the victim told him Varey had put the fridge there to stop the police getting in.

Curtis Myrie, defending, said his client had "arrived at a place in his life where he wants to avoid reoffending in the way he has in relation to these offences."

He continued: "He has issues and difficulties in relation to relationships and with alcohol misuse. He wants to address this."

Mr Myrie said Varey had asked to work with the probation service to address his problems with alcohol, adding: "He is hoping in the circumstances you will impose a sentence that will help with that."

But Judge Deni Mathews said: "You took little responsibility, showed little empathy, and placed a significant portion of blame on your victim."

He said Varey's initial declaration of love was "hugely at odds with what followed in the next few days".

Judge Mathews continued: "You imposed yourself on her in her home. She clearly didn't invite you there. You were violent and abusive towards her. You threw objects about in her home."

Referring to the victim leaving the property at one point, to go to a nearby park, he said: "You chased her across the park because she had the audacity, in your view, to leave her property.

"There were numerous incidents of pushing and shoving her, and she has got to the point where she wanted to leave her own home."

He continued: "She was in the process of addressing her own issues with alcohol misuse, detoxing, and your coercive and controlling behaviour undermined that progress."

Passing sentence, Judge Mathews told Varey: "It is clear all in society would benefit from your rehabilitation; however, in the view of your previous poor supervision and your minimal acceptance of responsibility and victim blaming, your high risk of causing harm to this known individual, I do not see significant prospects of rehabilitation.

"I see risk to the victim, or to anyone else with whom you enter a relationship in the future."

Judge Mathews also ordered a 10-year restraining order for Varey to stay away from his former partner, and he must pay a victim surcharge upon his release, which will be after half of his sentence has been served.