SARAH RIGBY'S HORRIFIC ABUSE IN WINSFORD: COURT SENTENCE FOR COERCIVE CONTROL AND DOMESTIC ABUSE

A woman from Winsford, who was in the process of training to become a nurse, has been formally sentenced after a prolonged period of controlling and abusive behavior towards her partner. Sarah Rigby, aged 41 and residing on Sunningdale Close in Winsford, engaged in a pattern of systematic coercion and cruelty that spanned several months, causing significant emotional and physical harm to her victim.

Initially, Rigby denied all allegations when confronted by police, but her stance changed dramatically when she pleaded guilty just two days into her trial at Chester Crown Court in February 2024. Her guilty plea came after a thorough investigation that uncovered disturbing evidence of her misconduct.

The abuse inflicted upon her partner was both severe and varied. Among the most troubling acts was her refusal to allow him to use the toilet within their shared home, forcing him instead to walk to nearby public places such as a pub, library, or supermarket to relieve himself. She also physically assaulted him, scratching his face during episodes of violence. Additionally, Rigby subjected him to inhumane treatment, including making him sleep on the floor with all the windows open, exposing him to the cold and discomfort.

Her control extended to his diet, as she dictated what he could and could not eat, and she coerced him into paying for private medical treatments and reports to support her court cases. She manipulated him into pretending to be unwell so she could obtain prescriptions for codeine, which she used to fuel her own addiction. Her verbal abuse was relentless, calling him derogatory names such as “fat,” “lazy,” “sweaty,” “a whale,” “dopey,” “thick,” “smelly,” and even comparing him to a “dog.”

Rigby also imposed strict restrictions on his contact with family members, forbidding him from seeing his relatives. She frisked him whenever he left the house to prevent him from taking food out, and falsely accused him of theft, which he did not commit. Her paranoia and need for control extended to surveillance, as she demanded that cameras be installed in their home so she could monitor him when she was not present.

Her controlling behavior was so extreme that she made him leave the house whenever she was not there, even though they shared the residence. If visitors arrived, she forced him to walk around the streets, effectively isolating him from social contact. She also made threatening remarks about pregnancy, telling him, “If I’m not pregnant this month, I am going to find someone else to have sex with and get pregnant,” and “I need to get pregnant this month. If I don’t, I’ll dump you.”

The victim eventually reported Rigby to the police in early March 2022. Her arrest followed, during which she continued to deny the allegations, instead accusing him of being the aggressor and manipulator. However, her phone was seized and examined, revealing numerous messages from their six-month relationship that clearly demonstrated her abusive behavior.

Her trial commenced on 26 February 2024, but she chose to plead guilty two days later. On 24 May 2024, Rigby was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years. As part of her sentence, she is required to complete 35 days of rehabilitation activities. The Crown Prosecution Service also sought restraining orders to prevent her from contacting her victim or his family members, which the court granted for a period of five years.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Nicky Inskip of CPS Mersey Cheshire commented on the case, stating, “Sarah Rigby subjected her former partner to months of cruel and dehumanising behaviour. She seemed intent on humiliating and degrading him in any way she could. On one occasion, she threw him out of the house in his underwear and refused to let him back in. She accused him of stealing from her and made him pay for her expenses. The abuse has had a substantial impact on this man, who finally found the courage to report her to the police. Her treatment of him was not typical relationship ups and downs; it was coercive, controlling, and criminal. She admitted her guilt in the face of overwhelming evidence, and we hope this provides some measure of relief for the victim.”