A LORRY driver drove his partner to despair with his domineering and abusive behaviour, a court was told.

William Thompson conducted a campaign of controlling and coercive conduct over the fearful woman, a police community support officer, and used an app to monitor her movements.

Durham Crown Court heard she suspected he deliberately collided with her while the pair were on separate jet-skis during a holiday in Mexico.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said she had an operation to fit steel rods in her legs and had to use a wheelchair, but his response was “unhelpful and unpleasant” during the rest of the holiday.

On their return he dropped her at her mother’s, saying: “There you go. She’s your problem,” but then added a jet-ski image, with the motto, “Weapon of Choice”, on his Facebook profile.

When she finally left him to go to a friend’s house, in August last year, he sent her a message saying: “Someone is going to get hurt”, with an image of a figure holding a pistol pictured near where she was staying.

Thompson, 34, of Lea Side, Consett, admitted controlling/coercive behaviour and putting a person in fear of violence.

Lewis Kerr, in mitigation, said the former serviceman, who suffers with post traumatic stress disorder, received a diagnosis of cancer, last December, for which treatment is ongoing.

Mr Kerr said Thompson has, now “moved on”, and has worked with a charity to address his mental health difficulties.

Judge Ray Singh, who accused him of being on, “a power trip”, told him: “This was a horrendous catalogue of abuse against a female who time and again gave you the chance to change.”

He told him he “richly deserved to go to prison”, but imposed a 24-month sentence, suspended for two years, during which Thompson must undergo 35 rehabilitation activity days, a 30-day programme designed to address his behaviour within relationships and a 120-day alcohol abstinence order, monitored by a fitted device.

A restraining order prevents him approaching or contacting the victim, “indefinitely”.

 

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