JOSH SAYERS SENTENCED IN NEWCASTLE FOR DOMESTIC ASSAULT AND THEFT

A man who confined his former girlfriend in his work van and stole her phone has been handed a suspended prison sentence. Despite being instructed to leave her alone, 26-year-old Josh Sayers from Portrush Drive in Hebburn persistently pressured her into accepting a lift. He then drove her away, refused her attempts to get out, and the ordeal only ended when police forcibly entered the van, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The woman described Sayers as "ruining" her life and revealed she frequently experiences flashbacks of what happened, which only ceased once police intervened. Sayers was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to charges of false imprisonment and theft of her £1,300 phone, which was never recovered.

Neil Pallister, prosecuting, stated that the victim had ended her relationship with Sayers three weeks prior to the incident on August 3, 2023. They had been exchanging messages, and despite her requests for him to leave her alone, Sayers, of Portrush Drive, indicated he was heading to see her. As she walked to a sunbed salon near her home in Sunderland, she spotted his van parked and he gestured for her to approach.

Initially, she refused his offer to give her a lift, but he continued to follow her afterward, prompting her to accept as he drove behind her. Her fear intensified as the vehicle passed the salon and headed toward Newcastle. Concerned for her safety, she started covertly recording Sayers on her phone, but he noticed and became angry. As her distress grew, she beeped the horn, which led Sayers to pull her hood over her head. Eventually, he stopped in Gateshead, exited the vehicle, took her phone, and locked her inside the van. Although Sayers left his own phone in the van, she used her device to call 999. Police arrived approximately 20 minutes later, smashing into the van to rescue her.

Mr. Pallister noted that the woman was crying and clearly distressed during her rescue. Sayers later surrendered to police on the same day. In a statement read in court, the woman expressed how the experience had affected her multiple aspects of her life, including her ability to trust men. She also mentioned feeling sick whenever she traveled along the Felling bypass, the route Sayers had taken.

Recorder Christopher Rose described the incident as "extremely unpleasant." He pointed out that Sayers had a history of domestic abuse, including a previous caution for malicious communications to an ex-partner. The judge commented that Sayers poses a risk to former partners, as he struggles to accept the end of relationships. However, he acknowledged there was "another side" to Sayers, citing his hardworking nature, diligence, and respect from those who know him. The court found a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation," and the suspended sentence included 200 hours of unpaid work and participation in a domestic abuse offender programme. Sayers was also ordered to pay £1,309 in compensation for the stolen phone and was subject to a five-year restraining order.