MAN THREATENED TO CUT GIRLFRIEND'S THROAT AS SHE HELD BABY
2026-06-24 10:53: A court has listened to a heartfelt account from a distressed Carlisle woman who endured multiple forms of manipulation and control by her partner.The woman described to Carlisle Crown Court that she was forced to relocate three times out of fear of being discovered by Ashleigh Bell, 32, whose criminal record includes similar offenses in the past.
Bell received a sentence of four and a half years imprisonment for his latest crimes.
He pleaded guilty to several charges, including assault causing actual bodily harm to the woman, twice violating a non-contact restraining order, threatening to kill her, threatening to damage her property, and sending threatening messages on two occasions.
A charge alleging that Bell threatened someone with a knife was dropped.
The most significant admission by Bell concerned months of controlling and coercive behavior towards the woman.
The court was told that Bell's methods of control involved: - Inflicting or threatening violence against the woman and her family.
- Threatening to damage her belongings.
- Dictating what she wore.
- Restricting her use of social media.
- Prohibiting her from leaving the house after she had showered.
- Forcing her to send photos of her location if he was not present with her.
The abuse took place from April 9, 2025, to May 31 of the same year, according to the charges.
The court heard that this pattern of control began immediately after Bell was convicted of a previous offense involving controlling behavior, which had resulted in a community order and an order to avoid contact with the victim.
In a statement read aloud in court, the woman explained the profound impact of her experience, recounting a time when Bell physically arrived at her workplace, behaving threateningly enough that she felt forced to quit her job.
She expressed that she no longer felt safe at her workplace and lived in constant fear that Bell might send someone to harm her, as he had previously threatened.
“I have been living in a state of constant fear for months,” she said.
“This has had a severe mental effect on me.
I felt like I was walking on eggshells, trying not to upset Ashleigh or provoke his anger.” She revealed that she experienced flashbacks, recalling his aggressive behavior, including him grabbing her and threatening to “put her in a body bag.” There were times when the situation left her “depressed and suicidal,” and she struggled to sleep.
Bell's actions also made her feel isolated from friends, family, and colleagues.
She added: “During the months I was with Ashleigh, I was always afraid he might harm me or damage my house and car...” “I had to sell my old car and buy a new one, simply because he knew what my previous vehicle looked like,” she explained.
She also claimed that Bell threatened to set her car on fire with petrol.
Her fears led her to move house three times, worried he would discover her whereabouts.
She further noted, “All of this has taken an emotional and financial toll on me.
I've installed security cameras at my home and purchased a new car.
I will likely have to do this for the rest of my life because I am constantly worried he will find me.” Formerly residing at Beverley Rise, Harraby, Bell had previously been convicted in March last year for a similar controlling and coercive behavior offense.
At that earlier hearing, it was revealed that Bell had served a 28-month prison sentence for controlling and coercive conduct, and his criminal past includes harassment offenses from 2015 and 2018.
During the previous case, Bell’s lawyer stated he accepted full responsibility for his actions, as indicated by his guilty pleas.
The lawyer explained that domestic violence had been a familiar part of Bell’s childhood, which led him to perceive such behavior as normal.
As a result, Bell struggled to recognize the impact of his conduct.
In addition to the prison sentence, the judge imposed an indefinite restraining order preventing Bell from any form of contact with the victim.
Clare’s Law, also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), is a police policy that grants individuals the right to find out if their current or former partner has a history of violence or abuse.
It was officially introduced in England and Wales in 2014, following a campaign led by Clare’s father, Michael Brown.
--------------------------- 2026-04-04 01:44: A man who threatened to cut his partner's throat while she was holding her baby has received a prison sentence of 28 months.
Ashleigh Bell, aged 28 and from Carlisle, pleaded guilty to assault by beating and controlling or coercive behavior.
The woman explained to police that Bell had inflicted a black eye and had thrown a cot at her, injuring her elbow.
During proceedings at Carlisle Crown Court, it was revealed that earlier this year, the woman endured a series of physical assaults, verbal abuse, and threats from Bell.
Evidence detailed multiple incidents where objects were thrown while she was caring for her child.
Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson explained that on one occasion, Bell broke a living room table and picked up a shard of it, threatening her with it.
He stated, "He picked up a shard and threatened to slit her throat," The woman also provided a statement expressing feelings of being "useless, degraded, and scared," and recounted additional episodes of violence, including choking and slapping, which left her feeling miserable, anxious, and humiliated.
Bell, residing at Beverley Rise, Harraby, admitted to charges of assault by beating, controlling behavior, and threatening criminal damage when he threatened to smash her windows in July.
Judge James Adkin sentenced him to 28 months in prison and imposed a lifelong ban on any contact with the woman.
