Controlling Wakefield man only allowed partner 30 minutes with family at Christmas
A man who controlled his partner’s finances also banned her from seeing friends and family, limiting them to a 30-minute slot over Christmas.
Gary Colley was in a 10-year relationship with the woman, only permitting her a small allowance of money for groceries after he stopped her from working.
He then threatened her when she finally plucked up the courage to leave him and continued to contact her after a court order was put in place.
Colley, 41, was given a suspended sentence at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting coercive and controlling behaviour, and breach of a non-molestation order.
The court was told that the pair had been together for 10 years and had three children.
He would not allow her to get a job so she had no money. They had a joint account, so if any cash was deposited, Colley would transfer it out and give the victim just enough to only buy food and household items.
She was not permitted to see friends and on one occasion when she went away for a weekend, he bombarded her with messages forcing her to return home.
During one argument, he contacted the police and made false reports that she was attempting to harm one of their children.
Prosecutor Joseph Bell said that her parents were even limited to a 30-minute conversation at Christmas, but through car windows.
The woman said he would throw cigarettes on the floor and would expect her to clean them up.
She finally left him and sought help at a woman’s refuge. He then threatened to destroy her belongings and made threats to her family.
A non-molestation order was put in place on September 25 to stop him contacting her. But he rang her the next day and emailed several times in the weeks that followed.
He was arrested and placed on remand in HMP Leeds, appearing in court over a video link this week from the prison.
Colley, of Mill Hill Lane, Pontefract, has no previous convictions.
Mitigating, Jeremy Hill-Baker pointed to his lack of previous offences and said he had been held on remand for two months.
No other points were raised after Judge Simon Batiste said he would release Colley from prison.
He opted to give him a 12-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, ordered him to complete 25 rehabilitation days and a domestic violence awareness course.
He was also given a five-year restraining order to keep him away from his ex partner.