Abusive boyfriend trapped girlfriend in bedroom and only let her out for 10 minutes each morning to have a shower
A CONTROLLING boyfriend locked his girlfriend in a bedroom and only let her out for ten minutes each morning to shower.
Owen Bush banned the woman from speaking to her family and only allowed him to talk to his own mother.
The 25-year-old threw her across a bed and held a knife to her neck when she attempted to leave him in January this year.
Bush also punched the victim and hit her with a slipper when he saw her chatting to his brother outside his home.
The thug has now been jailed for two-and-a-half years after admitting controlling and coercive behaviour, assault, causing bodily harm, wounding and escape.
Nottingham Crown Court heard how the woman moved into a caravan on Bush’s parent’s driveway after they started a relationship.
But the fiend regularly flew into a rage and trapped her in a bedroom every day – only letting her out to use the bathroom in the morning.
Prosecutor Caroline Bradley said: “Her only period of respite was ten minutes each morning when she was allowed to have a shower.”
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The woman only managed to escape when Bush’s mum came to the house and took her to hospital.
Doctors found she had a small bleed on her brain and suffered cuts and bruising.
She has since been diagnosed with PTSD and believes she would have been killed if she had stayed with Bush.
The woman told the court: “I can never forget that night. I can’t eat and sleep. I’m scared of my own shadow, scared of the dark.”
Bush has previous convictions for wounding and battery.
Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Julie Armstrong, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Bush is a violent and controlling bully who caused enormous pain and distress to his victim over a sustained period of time.
“The final assault he subjected her to was particularly nasty, as it took place in a confined space over a period of several hours.
“Unsurprisingly, she required extensive hospital treatment for her injuries and must now live with the long-term psychological impacts of Bush’s appalling actions.”
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service available. from 10am to noon.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.