A WOMAN who was repeatedly assaulted by her violent former partner was seriously injured in a car crash after she drank a large amount of alcohol because she was concerned about him being released from prison, a court has heard.

The Colchester woman, who is currently in intensive care, has suffered life-changing injures as a result of the crash and there were fears she might not survive, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Simon Gladwell, prosecuting, said the former partner of Darren Cranmer, 39, was currently in a London hospital but was about to be transferred back to Colchester.

The court heard Cranmer, who was addicted to alcohol and cocaine, and the woman had been in a relationship since the autumn of 2021 and initially the relationship had been good.

However, in January, while they were staying at a Premier Inn in Ipswich Road, Colchester, Cranmer had hit her with a clenched fist to the side of her head causing bruising to her ear.

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He had also hit her on the back and dragged her off the bed, threatening to tip boiling water on her if she didn’t do as she was told, said Mr Gladwell.

Cranmer had also thrown a can of cider at her, causing a bruise on her thigh, and had thrown a bag at her when he couldn’t find the hotel room key.

In March, he had punched the woman in the chest area and had squeezed her hand so hard that it hurt.

In April, while they were in a Colchester supermarket car park, Cranmer had snapped the gear stick of the woman’s car and had punched her arm several times.

He had later put his hands round her neck and squeezed so hard that she couldn’t breathe after smoking drugs and drinking eight cans of cider.

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Cranmer, of Larch Close, Colchester, admitted three offences of assaulting the woman causing her actual bodily harm, an offence of assault by beating, damaging her car gear stick and damaging her mobile phone.

He was jailed for 94 weeks and banned from contacting his former partner for five years.

The court heard Cranmer was remorseful and his life had been blighted by alcohol and cocaine addictions.