Blackburn man jailed for strangling ex-girlfriend on her birthday

BLACKBURN MAN JAILED FOR STRANGLING EX-GIRLFRIEND ON HER BIRTHDAY

Ryan Sutcliffe, a 32-year-old man from Blackburn, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) caused by strangulation on the mother of his child.

The court was informed that on June 24, 2020, the victim was in The Victoria pub in Darwen celebrating with friends when she encountered Sutcliffe in the beer garden.

He warned her to leave before the group parted ways.

Later that evening, Sutcliffe reconnected with the woman, giving her £40 and telling her to enjoy her night.

However, in the early hours, Sutcliffe entered her home through an open window and chased her, eventually pinning her to the ground and strangling her while threatening her life.

The woman stated she was terrified, fearing for her life and their son’s well-being, and described herself as an emotional wreck since the attack.

Court reports indicated Sutcliffe continued to deny the offence and showed no remorse, while a pre-sentence report described him as posing a high risk of harm, especially to intimate partners.

Following the assault, Sutcliffe spent 48 days on remand and 390 days on a curfew, which was counted towards his sentence.

The judge emphasized that the only appropriate punishment was a custodial sentence due to the severity of his actions and his high risk of harm.