Man jailed after subjecting woman to years of physical abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour

A man has been jailed after he subjected a woman to years of physical and emotional abuse and then threatened to throw acid on her.

Antony J Scott, aged 42 and of Mill Lane in Cheltenham, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday (6 February) where he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

Scott also received a 10 year restraining order which prevents him from making contact with the victim of this case. A breach of the terms of the restraining order will carry a prison sentence of up to five years even if no other offence or reprehensible behaviour is involved.

In sentencing the court heard how Scott had subjected the woman to various forms of abuse throughout their relationship, including physical and emotional abuse, and coercive and controlling behaviour of the most severe form.

During this time he physically assaulted the woman on six known occasions causing injuries and considerable distress.

In one instance Scott grabbed hold of the steering wheel while the woman was driving her car along the A40 in Cheltenham, during this time the car was swerving to the left and right. He then punched the woman to her left thigh causing a serious amount of pain.

The woman was so fearful of a further assault that she pulled the handbrake up in an attempt to exit the car quickly. Before the woman could get out of the car, Scott grabbed her hair and pushed her head between the front seats.

In another instance the woman was on her phone when Scott came into the room and shouted "who the f**k are you talking to?".

He then pushed her forcefully with both hands to the chest. This push was so forceful that the woman’s head went backwards and hit a chest of drawers. Scott then grabbed the victim’s hair as she desperately tried to ring 999 before taking her phone and smashing it as hard as he could onto the wooden bedframe causing the screen to completely smash. A few days later the victim found a clump of her hair on the floor.

Scott, who had denied the offences, was found guilty by a jury on 22 January this year following a nearly three week long trial.

The jury found him guilty on two counts of coercive and controlling behaviour and one count of witness intimidation after he threatened to throw acid in the victim’s face should she attend the trial.

A victim impact statement was read aloud in court where the woman detailed the effect of Scott's actions saying: “So much has happened over the course of five years it is simply impossible to put onto paper fully how it has affected me and it simply won’t do it justice.   

“However, what I want to say is, my self-esteem and self-worth have vanished. I have been made to feel like I am worthless and my voice has been taken away. I have been left with no other option but to feel like I am the most worthless piece of rubbish that has been trodden all over, repeatedly.   

“I have been robbed from all of these basic freedoms a young girl deserves. Social media was deleted, I was checked consistently on who was who and why I was talking to them, isolated from everyone.

“My body image was ripped apart as the torture of emotional abuse grew with various name calling, “you’re a sl*g, a waste of space, you need to lose weight, you look vile”. I started believing what he was calling me was true. My confidence is in pieces."

Investigating officers PS Figgett and PC Hayes jointly added: "This case has been an incredibly complex case, spanning four years. The abuse the victim has suffered at the hands of Scott has been severe, abhorrent, degrading, and intimidating. 

"The victim was reduced to a shadow of her former self, gas lighted, assaulted, and belittled. She has shown huge amounts of courage and resilience by stepping forward and giving evidence. As a result of this case, the victim has finally begun to blossom and live a life she used to live prior to the abuse. 

"We'd like the public to be assured that Gloucestershire Constabulary will do everything they can in supporting all victims and bringing those responsible to justice. 

"We hope this conviction and result encourages those who are trapped in abusive relationships to come forward. Whilst the journey may be long and complex this case shows that it is absolutely worth it.”

In sentencing remarks His Honour Judge Lowe said: “You frequently humiliated her, you isolated her from friends and family, and made her feel worthless. You checked up on her telephone use, and told her where she could go and with whom she could spend time.

"You helped yourself to her money and her vehicles, even though you were a disqualified driver. You crashed two of those vehicles, causing a huge financial impact to [victim], and on the second occasion instructed her to lie to the police about the vehicle having been stolen.

“Several of these assaults caused ABH-level injuries, in the form of bruising and hair loss. Many of them were committed in the presence of your young daughter, who was naturally terrified."