MAN JAILED AFTER CAMPAIGN OF ABUSE LEFT EX-PARTNER FEARING FOR HER LIFE
A court was told that Kai Pritchard, aged 26, displayed his jealousy by leaving flowers at his ex-girlfriend's doorstep just hours before he assaulted her.Following the breakup, Pritchard bombarded the woman with numerous threatening messages, as he reportedly refused to accept that their relationship was over, Manchester Crown Court heard.
During the court session, Judge Suzanne Goddard criticized Pritchard’s family for their inappropriate behavior, including laughing and staring at the victim.
Prosecutor Brian Berlyne described the relationship as volatile and on-and-off, which began in 2022.
The victim ended the relationship in October 2024 due to Pritchard’s suspected infidelity.
Although they reconciled in July 2025, their relationship ended again later that month.
“Pritchard refused to accept this, and accused her of infidelity," Mr Berlyne said.
"After she refused to post a photo of him on Instagram, he then began sending texts to her: 'you are gone’, ‘I’ll do you’, ‘your mum isn’t safe’." The messages escalated, with Pritchard threatening to disfigure the victim's face with acid.
"'You are not going to have a face left’, ‘acid baby’, ‘your face is going to be melted,‘ 'I’d get 12 [months] but it would be worth it’," Mr Berlyne read out.
On September 7, Pritchard texted, saying he had something for her.
"At 4:29pm, he rang her, asking if she had seen the flowers.
She unlocked the door and they were there on the step," Mr Berlyne continued.
“He had knocked but there was no answer.
He asked her where she had been and called her a slag.
She realised he must be approaching the house.
She moved to lock the door but as she reached it, he entered.” CCTV footage of Pritchard shouting the victim’s name and ordering her to ‘open up’ was played to the court.
After he went inside, screams, shouts and sobs could be heard, including cries of ‘get off me’ and ‘no please’.
The court heard that Pritchard punched the victim in the face, causing her to fall backwards, and then tried to bite her.
“The victim remembers sitting on the floor with Pritchard behind her, compressing her neck in a headlock.
She could not breathe, lost consciousness and he released his grip.” Around 35 minutes later, he left.
“He kept demanding that she tell him what she had been doing and why she went out," the prosecution said.
"He appears to have been in a jealous rage." The victim was treated in hospital for a fractured cheekbone, cuts and bruises.
Pritchard was arrested on September 8 and denied the assault, claiming they had ‘scuffled’ and fallen.
At first he entered a 'not guilty' plea, but then pleaded guilty to stalking involving fear of violence, strangulation and grievous bodily harm in December.
In an impact statement read out by the prosecution - in the middle of which Judge Goddard reprimanded Pritchard's family for laughing - the victim said she 'thought she was going to die' in the assault.
"I was attacked for going out with friends from work," she said.
"He was adamant that I had brought somebody home.” The victim claimed that Pritchard had ‘constantly’ accused her of being unfaithful.
“This was not a one-off, it was years of control, jealousy and abuse,” she alleged.
“I was isolated from my friends.
I had to remove men from my social media and was not allowed to have male clients at work.
“I couldn't go out drinking or socialising as 'that’s what single people do' and I was 'looking for attention'.
No matter what I did, it was never enough.” The victim said she 'did not feel safe' at home.
"Every knock makes my heart race.
I have flashbacks of being on the floor with his arms around my neck.
The bubbly person I used to be is gone.
“What scares me is that his threats were not empty.
I believe if I had stayed, he would have eventually killed me.
“I want to live without fear but I will probably never trust another man again.
I hope that justice will allow me to move on.” Pritchard has several previous convictions, including one in 2020 for malicious communications, and two counts of battery in 2021.
He previously breached community orders on at least two occasions.
Mr Berlyne added that there was a 'history' of police being called to incidents involving Pritchard.
"Between 2019 and 2025, he was involved in 23 reported incidents where domestic abuse allegations were made." Defence barrister Michael James acknowledged that Pritchard had an 'unenviable record', but that he had expressed remorse in his letter.
"You haven’t seen his face throughout the hearing," Judge Goddard replied.
"The shaking of the head, showing his disagreement, suggests that his remorse is not so deep." Mr Pritchard had been observed rolling his eyes, shaking his head and smirking throughout the hearing, and mouthing words to his family in the gallery.
"He is clear that he did not intend to cause serious harm and accepts it was not justified," Mr James replied.
"He has a diagnosis of ADHD." "He made threats but did not follow through.
His ability to regulate himself is limited.
His diagnosis may explain the up-down nature of his behaviour.
As a child he suffered trauma, witnessing domestic violence at home, and the separation of his parents." Pritchard also shares a son with an ex-partner, the victim of the 2021 offences, who previously had a restraining order against him.
"It may be surprising, but she now speaks positively of him," Mr James said.
"He has a son who misses him, and he is anxious to be a good father." Kai Pritchard, 26, of Booth Hall Road, Charlestown, will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on February 3.
