MIDDLESBROUGH MAN JAILED FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TORMENT

A 'vile' domestic abuser who tormented his partner and subsequently tried to persuade her to withdraw her police complaint has been sentenced to three years in prison. John Stone, aged 47, controlled and isolated his partner while subjecting her to regular physical, mental, and emotional abuse during their three-year relationship, as reported by Teesside Crown Court. The victim described Stone as a 'very dangerous, evil, twisted and violent man,' stating he got so deep into her mind that she completely lost her sense of self. Although Stone, a father of six, denied accusations of controlling and coercive behaviour and perverting the course of justice, jurors found him guilty after a four-day trial. The court heard that early in their relationship, things appeared to be fine, but problems arose when Stone became 'angry and jealous without cause.' The woman attempted to defuse the situation by isolating herself from friends and family, deleting her social media, and destroying family photographs. Unfortunately, his abuse escalated, including pushing her down stairs, throttling her with her hoodie cords, hitting her with a bottle, and biting her on the nose. Stone also sent her offensive videos and messages and encouraged her to self-harm, which was particularly cruel given her history. Moreover, he used emotional blackmail and threats, attacking her physically on one occasion, to pressure her into withdrawing her police report. The woman explained that Stone 'targeted' her because she had previously experienced domestic abuse and claimed he 'read from a script of pure fabrication, brainwashing me with his lies.' She revealed the emotional and mental abuse was the worst, describing how he manipulated her into doing everything his way, leaving her unrecognizable and broken. The victim also highlighted the torrent of 'vile, evil and sick messages,' and how the constant pinging of her phone made her feel overwhelmed. She expressed concern over his dangerous, twisted nature and noted he still believed he was the victim. The court took into account that Stone had experienced abuse as a child, which affected his ability to form healthy relationships, and assessed him as posing a 'high risk of serious harm to partners.' A restraining order was issued, banning him from contacting the woman for 15 years.