MAN JAILED FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE ATTEMPTED MURDER
A man has received a 20-year prison sentence after attempting to murder a woman with whom he was in a relationship.James Stock was found guilty of trying to kill Caroline Goddard and was sentenced today (Wednesday, 15 July) for his actions.
On 27 July 2025, Caroline called emergency services around 3:20 a.m., reporting that Stock was attempting to kill her at a residence in Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare.
He repeatedly tried to strangle her, and the assault lasted approximately 45 minutes.
The attack continued even as she was speaking with a police call-handler, and the violent nature of the incident was audible during the call.
Police arrived to find Caroline unresponsive on the ground, after which paramedics transported her to the hospital.
She suffered multiple injuries, including a bruised and swollen right eye, bruising on her cheeks, legs, and arms, a fractured nose, and swelling around her neck.
In a victim impact statement presented at the court hearing, Caroline described how the assault continues to impact her both physically and mentally.
At the scene, Stock told officers he believed he was responsible for what had occurred.
During questioning, he responded with “no comment” to numerous inquiries about the incident, but he was visibly distressed and buried his head in his hands when the 999 call was played back to him.
The 40-year-old, from Clevedon, faced charges of intentional strangulation and attempted murder.
He admitted to the strangulation but denied attempting to kill Caroline.
Nonetheless, he was convicted of attempted murder following a trial at Bristol Crown Court in April.
Additionally, he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating related to a separate physical attack on Caroline a month prior.
DC Olivia Stewart, the investigating officer, stated: “James Stock carried out a brutal and sustained assault on Caroline, leaving her with serious injuries.
The 999 call is deeply distressing and clearly demonstrates how aggressively Stock attacked her—on another day, he could have killed her.
This was not his first assault on her, and the public is safer with him behind bars.” DC Stewart continued: “Caroline has bravely shared her story to inspire other victims and survivors of domestic abuse to come forward and seek help.
Her courage from the moment the attack started, including calling for assistance and supporting our investigation, has been remarkable and instrumental in achieving justice.
Unfortunately, we know many others may have experienced similar abuse or know someone who is in an abusive relationship.
Reporting such crimes can feel overwhelming, but Caroline’s story aims to encourage others to speak out.
We are committed to protecting victims and bringing dangerous offenders like James Stock to justice.”
