'Paranoid' thug sent back to prison for campaign of violence and controlling behaviour against second domestic abuse victim

Joshua Spry has served a previous jail sentence for an "almost identical" offence against another woman.

Spry, 30, committed his latest offending against his new partner after meeting her on a dating app.

Holly Clegg, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court that the victim began a relationship with Spry in December 2020 after they met through a dating app.

In October last year he began to show signs of paranoia and controlling behaviour towards her.

Ms Clegg said Spry questioned her about her behaviour towards other men and about previous partners.

When he was not satisfied with her answers he would become verbally abusive.

The defendant would check her mobile phone to see who she had been in contact with.

On one occasion he said to her: "You have no idea what I am capable of. I know lots of people."

He continued to monitor her use of messaging apps to see when she was online and demanded that she send him screenshots to prove who she was in touch with.

On another occasion he threatened to smash her in the face with her own phone.

The abuse became worse and on December 21 he became aggressive before locking the doors to his home and telling her she was not allowed to leave.

On January 18 this year the couple were at her home in Leeds and he told her that he was "watching her".

Later that day he accused her of looking at other men in the playground when she went to pick her children up from school.

He accused her of looking at a male teacher before punching her in the back of the head then punching her to the jaw.

Spry told her that the first blow was for looking at men and the second was for lying about it.

The following day he asked her intimate questions about former partners and punched her in the ribs.

He also threatened to cut her throat with a knife.

Ms Clegg said: "He threatened to put her in a body bag."

He continued to attack her by punching her in the stomach and ribs.

Spry attacked the woman again the following day by punching her in the arm and questioning her for an hour after she received a call from her children's school.

The victim told her sister about what Spry was doing to her but told her not to contact the police as she feared what would happen if she did.

Despite those instructions the victim's sister did contact the police and officers went to her home.

Spry was arrested at the property.

He denied any wrongdoing when arrested, claiming that the victim had made up the account after finding out he had been cheating on her.

The woman then revealed to officers the extent of Spry's controlling behaviour.

She described how he had made her remove all photographs of men from her mobile phone and delete all male contact numbers.

Spry also ordered her to remove her ex-partner's name from her Netflix account.

He gave her a few weeks to remove any evidence of him from the house, including getting rid of pictures of him with their children.

The victim worked in a phyciatric unit but was ordered not to do shifts in case she came into contact with other men.

When she suggested that she start working in the hair and beauty industry he refused in case she had to deal with male customers.

The woman also became frightened when she found out on the internet that he had served a prison sentence for controlling behaviour to a former partner.

Ms Clegg said: "He told her she would never get rid of him and she should not think about getting away."

Spry, of Bond Street, Batley, pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour and three counts of common assault.

Ms Clegg said Spry's previous conviction against a former partner was "almost identical" to his latest offending.

The defendant appeared in court via a video link from prison.

Richard Barradell, mitigating, said: "His behaviour was completely unacceptable.

"He was jealous and overbearing and was irrational in his behaviour."

Mr Barradell said Spry had written a letter of apology.

The barrister added: "He is thinking more clearly now.

"He wants to look to his future rather than wallow in his self-pity."

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC jailed Spry for 43 months,

He said: "The way you treated her in your jealous and paranoid state was brutal.

"It was cruel. It was cowardly and you should be ashamed of your behaviour.

"You completely controlled her life and terrified her.

"You made her life a misery and you can expect no sympathy from the courts who will protect victims like this as much as they can.

"I am entirely satisfied that you pose a significant danger to any woman with whom you are in a relationship.

"In my judgement this case calls for a serious sentence."