A JEALOUS thug who beat up his girlfriend on a weekly basis and threatened to “chew her nose off” has been jailed.
Joshua Alan Williamson’s relationship with Kelly Rooney turned sour in September, 2017, before she ended it 13 months later.
“He began to display signs of aggressive and controlling behaviour borne out of jealousy,” prosecutor Wayne Jackson told Carlisle Crown Court.
On Boxing Day that year, Miss Rooney was knocked unconscious as Williamson, 22, tried to strangle her and twice struck her head against a kitchen wall during a 40-minute incident.
On April 19, 2018, Williamson slapped, punched, strangled and bit her nose and arms, leaving her with teeth marks and two black eyes, and locked her in a bathroom without her phone. “She stated that he tried to bite her about 10 times,” said Mr Jackson.
On October 16 that year, he slapped her face while she was in the bath and repeatedly bit her nose, again leaving teeth marks.
“In a witness statement, she describes how she was assaulted on a weekly basis, was kicked, was spat at and was choked, and him threatening to chew her nose off so no-one will ever look at her again,” said Mr Jackson.
Williamson, of Rydal Avenue, Whitehaven, admitted controlling or coercive behaviour, and three actual bodily harm assaults.
The court heard Williamson also dictated what she wore, forced her to delete social media accounts, monitored who she communicated with and isolated her from friends.
Miss Rooney, who had ended the relationship, described being left constantly anxious, crying daily and being left “far less sociable and confident” by Williamson’s criminal conduct. However, his admissions of guilt had “lifted a weight off her shoulders”.
The court heard Williamson was subject to a suspended prison term at the time of this offending for assaulting a previous partner by elbowing her in the face.
Karen Tunnacliffe, defending, said the relationship with Miss Rooney was “best described as toxic and volatile”. “He recognises there is clearly work to be done. He needs support and guidance. He has shown regret and remorse,” she said.
“He is a young man who is capable of changing. With assistance and guidance he can change.”
Recorder Michael Murray jailed Williamson for 37 months.
“You did little more than treat her as your own possession. The effect was – and is – obvious,” said Recorder Murray. “You were possessive, jealous, controlling and violent throughout. All you thought about was yourself.”
Williamson was banned from contacting Miss Rooney indefinitely.
