KEVIN LOWRIE STRANGLES WOMAN IN RUNCORN AND WARRENSON - SENTENCED AT CHESTER CROWN COURT

Kevin Lowrie, a man from Runcorn, was involved in a violent and terrifying assault on a woman at her home in Warrington, an incident that has left a lasting impact on the victim and has garnered significant attention from local authorities and the community alike.

According to court reports, the assault occurred in the early hours of July 18, when the victim was at her residence in Warrington. The incident unfolded after Lowrie, who had previously been jailed for similar offences against the same woman, reinitiated contact with her following his release from prison last year. Despite a restraining order that prohibited him from seeing her, Lowrie had managed to rekindle their relationship, which had lasted approximately four years before ending in June 2021 due to an incident involving strangulation.

On the night of the attack, Lowrie allegedly picked up her phone and began scrutinizing her messages. When she denied accusations of infidelity, his anger escalated. Court testimony revealed that Lowrie then physically assaulted her, grabbing her by the throat and dragging her around the room by her hair. He pushed her onto the bed, where he applied his full body weight and began strangling her. The victim described feeling as if her head was going to explode, struggling to breathe and fearing for her life. She managed to break free from his grasp, but Lowrie’s violence persisted.

He reportedly pushed her against a wardrobe and resumed strangulation, accusing her of cheating and blaming her for his anger. The assault continued with him attacking her a third time, during which he sat on top of her and strangled her for several minutes, uttering the words, “I will do 17 years for you, you b****.”

During the attack, the woman thought she was going to die and began mentally saying goodbye to her children. After the assault, she managed to stand by a window, where Lowrie threatened her, claiming he had a knife and warning that if she screamed or called the police, he would stab her and her dogs.

Following Lowrie’s departure, the woman contacted a friend, who took her to Warrington’s A&E department around 4:30 am. Medical staff observed injuries including fingerprints, handprints, and a missing chunk of hair. Her eyes were described as ‘bright red’ and ‘blood red’ by both her friend and a nurse, who remarked that she had never seen anything like it before. A CT scan was performed to rule out brain injuries.

In her victim impact statement, she expressed her fear that she would never feel safe in a relationship again. She also reported difficulty swallowing and speaking in the days following the attack, along with ongoing anxiety and panic attacks.

Kevin Lowrie, who has accumulated 20 previous convictions for 38 offences, appeared before Chester Crown Court for sentencing. His barrister acknowledged that his behaviour was not out of character, emphasizing his age of 40 and the need for him to learn from past mistakes. Prosecutor Peter Hussey confirmed that Lowrie pleaded guilty to charges of intentional strangulation and threats to kill.

The court heard that Lowrie, of Halton Lodge Avenue, Runcorn, was handed a sentence of three years and ten months in prison by Recorder Anthony O'Donohoe, reflecting the severity of his actions and the danger posed to the victim. This case highlights the ongoing issues of domestic violence and the importance of legal measures to protect victims from repeat offenders in the Runcorn and Warrington areas.