Violent stalker handed increased prison sentence

VIOLENT STALKER HANDED INCREASED PRISON SENTENCE

A man who stalked, assaulted, and kidnapped a woman has had his prison term tripled following a referral from the Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP, to the Court of Appeal.

Liam 'DT' Goodenough, aged 42, pursued his ex-partner during a date night, exhibiting jealousy by messaging her brother with threats of suicide and demanding her location.

Using a tracking feature on her phone, he travelled to the hotel where she was staying and verbally abused her, as well as attacking her companion.

He also photographed her while she was undressed.

He pulled the woman from her hotel room into his car, claiming he had a knife and that her son was inside the vehicle.

When she discovered her son was not there, she tried to escape.

A bystander helped her get away, while Goodenough managed to escape.

He was convicted for stalking causing significant alarm or distress and for kidnapping.

On November 5, 2021, at Aylesbury Crown Court, he received a sentence of 12 months in prison along with a restraining order lasting ten years.

The Solicitor General, after the sentencing, referred Goodenough’s case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

On 13 January, the Court of Appeal judged that his original sentence was too lenient and increased it to three years’ imprisonment.

Following the decision, Alex Chalk QC MP stated: "Goodenough subjected the victim to a shocking and frightening ordeal.

I referred his sentence because I considered it did not reflect the gravity of the offending and was unduly lenient.

I am glad that the Court of Appeal agrees."