Arrogant Leeds thug who told ex 'you are my property' made threats to blow up family home at Christmas
A violent and arrogant thug who repeatedly beat his girlfriend later told her he “owned her” and made threats to blow up her home at Christmas.
Ashley Wharton was given a lengthy jail term at Leeds Crown Court this week for a series of brutal assaults on the woman.
The couple had been in a relationship since 2018 which proved “volatile”, prosecutor Abigail Langford said.
The police had been called out several times and a non-molestation was taken out against Wharton in July 2023, but which failed to deter him.
Just a few months into the relationship he grabbed her by the throat and when she tried to fight him off, he bit her arm.
On another occasion we rushed towards her to headbutt her, but stopped and pushed his head against hers while grabbing her throat.
In 2020 they had been at his grandmother’s funeral before going to a family member’s home to have drinks.
Wharton’s behaviour changed when he got drunk and the pair began to argue when they got home.
They began “grappling”, Ms Langford said, and he then slapped her leg so hard it split her skin.
A neighbour heard the commotion and came to the house, but a paranoid Wharton accused the pair of being in a conspiracy against him.
During another incident in 2020, he had been up all night drinking and taking cocaine, and when Wharton planned to leave with his friend in the morning, his partner asked him where he was going.
He told her: “Shut up or I will knock you out.” He then charged at her, pushing her over and she hit her head.
Wharton also kicked and damaged a child’s toy on a different date, and shouted vile insults at the woman, calling her a “s*** mum” and telling her to kill herself.
But even after she took out the family order to keep him away, he continued to pester her and in the days before Christmas in 2023 called her several times.
He threatened to blow up her home during a call on Christmas Eve, then on Christmas Day told her: “You are my property, I own you.”
Appearing in court this week via video link from HMP Leeds, where he was being held on remand, the 32-year-old admitted three counts of assault, two of ABH, one of harassment and one of criminal damage.
He has previous convictions for violence, including battery and ABH.
Mitigating, Michael Collins said Wharton, of All Saints’ Circle, Woodlesford, had done “everything he can to rehabilitate himself” while on remand.
He said he “regrets” minimising his behaviour towards the woman, and rues his heavy drinking and drug taking.
He also said he wanted to be a role model to his children, but had “not done a good job so far”.
Mr Collins added: “He concedes he is not good at life.”
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar jailed him for 38 months and gave him a restraining order to keep him away from his ex partner that will last until further notice.