THOMAS-JAY HUGHES FROM STOKE-ON-TRENT SENTENCED AFTER BRUTAL ABUSE AND VIOLENCE

Thomas-Jay Hughes, a man from Stoke-on-Trent, has been convicted and sentenced for a series of severe domestic abuse incidents that spanned several years. The victim, who was in a relationship with Hughes from the age of 15, endured relentless violence, control, and intimidation that escalated over time.

Initially, Hughes’s abusive behavior manifested as physical assaults, with the victim recounting that he would slap her regularly. Despite the severity of these initial acts, she stayed with him, partly because Hughes dismissed the violence as “just a slap.” However, as months passed, his aggression intensified. The victim described being strangled multiple times daily, to the point where she could not breathe. Each encounter left her with visible injuries, including bruises, swollen lips, and damaged facial features from punches. Her belongings were also not spared; Hughes would destroy items in their shared space during these violent episodes.

Control was a significant aspect of Hughes’s abuse. He would confiscate her phone whenever they met, effectively isolating her from her friends and family. This control extended to her daily life, as she was prevented from attending college or holding a job, further isolating her from the outside world. The victim revealed that Hughes’s threats extended beyond physical violence. If she attempted to break up with him, he would resort to emotional and psychological manipulation, including threatening to harm himself. She recounted instances where Hughes would facetime her with knives pressed to his neck and chest, threatening to kill himself if she did not reconcile with him. On several occasions, he attempted to self-harm in her presence, including trying to slit his wrists or hang himself, especially when she threatened to leave him.

The violence reached a horrifying peak on her 17th birthday. Hughes broke her finger during an altercation where he was strangling her. She tried to defend herself, and he responded by grabbing her hand and bending her small finger back until it fractured. She spent her birthday alone in hospital, with her finger strapped for several weeks. Just days later, during another argument triggered by a message from a male friend, Hughes’s violence escalated further. He armed himself with scissors, and in a terrifying display of aggression, he cut off her clothes, leaving her naked on the bed. He then cut her hair and pressed the scissors to her throat, threatening to kill her if she tried to leave the relationship. Hughes continued his assault by breaking her phone and AirPods, destroying her belongings, and physically beating her throughout the night.

Realizing the danger she was in, the victim contacted the police. Hughes was subsequently remanded in custody for ten months. In January 2025, he was sentenced to serve three years and eight months in prison for his crimes. Additionally, a restraining order was issued against him, prohibiting any contact with the victim for a period of ten years. Hughes’s case highlights the brutal reality of domestic abuse and the importance of intervention and justice for victims.