THIS is the face of a man who bombarded his former partner with hundreds of messages and kept her prisoner in her home.
Ashley Norman had only been in a relationship with the woman for five weeks when she ended it in May after he bombarded her with more than 70 texts when she told him she wanted to spend time with her children instead of him, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Norman didn’t accept the relationship was over and repeatedly called and texted the woman and on May 22 she had agreed to let him go home with her after seeing him in a pub in Colchester, said Gareth Hughes, prosecuting.
When they got back to her house Norman took her mobile phone and when she tried to get out of the front door she found it was locked and the key had gone.
She then went to the back door but Norman had blocked her path and refused to let her leave, said Mr Hughes.
The woman had then gone upstairs and tried to get out of a window but Norman had grabbed her and pulled her to the floor where he held her by the throat with one of his hands.
- MORE FROM COURT: The Colchester thug who brutally punched a shop worker in the face
She eventually managed to climb out of a window and go to a neighbour’s house after biting Norman’s arm.
Later the same day Norman went back to the woman’s house and when she opened the door, he had pushed it “really hard”, causing it to hit her forehead and knock her on to the floor.
Between May 23 and 26, the woman received hundreds of calls, texts and emails from Norman and on May 26 he went to her home with a metal bar and repeatedly banged on a window with it and repeatedly rung her doorbell.
Norman, 37, of Gorse Walk, Colchester, admitted falsely imprisoning the woman in May, assaulting her by beating and putting her in fear of violence by harassment.
In addition to being jailed for 46 months, he was banned from contacting the woman for seven years.
The court also heard in March this year he was given a community order for offences of battery and harassment in relation to a previous partner.
Juliet Donovan for Norman described him as “troubled” and said he needed help through therapy.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel