Violent kidnapper dragged ex-girlfriend from Middleton house by her hair then subjected her to brutal beating

Harry Kelly returned to the woman's home in Middleton two days after the abduction and subjected her brother to violence before trashing the property.

Kelly, 30, also shouted racist abuse at the police officer who arrested him over the crime spree in June last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard Kelly and the kidnapping victim began a relationship in the summer of 2020.

Phillip Standfast, prosecuting, said the relationship initially went well but the woman ended the relationship by Christmas of the same year after Kelly became controlling towards her.

On June 5 last year the victim was drinking in a pub with her friend when Kelly entered the premises and began shouting abuse at her.

Door staff ejected him from the pub but he continued to try to phone the victim throughout the day.

The victim went to a female friend's home in Middleton at around 11.30pm.

Kelly turned up at the property a short time later and began banging on the door.

He threatened to smash the door window so the victim went outside to try to talk to him.

Kelly grabbed her by the hair and dragged her along the street.

He punched her in the face as she begged him to stop.

The victim's friend tried to intervene but she was pushed away.

Kelly forced his ex-partner into his car and drove off with her.

Other residents in the street witnessed the abduction and tried to help but Kelly managed to drive off.

Kelly received a phone call as he was driving.

He refused the caller's request to stop the car.

Kelly said "I'm going to get done for it anyway" and continued driving.

The woman was punched again when she tried to shout from the car for help.

Kelly drove with the woman for around seven minutes before he stopped the car on Old Hall Road, Tingley.

CCTV footage from a property in the street filmed Kelly and the woman in the vehicle.

He then drove off at speed before stopping on Bywell Road, Dewsbury, where the victim managed to run to a house and knock on the door to ask for help.

A resident answered the door to find the woman "hysterical and covered in blood."

Kelly drove off but returned to the victim's home on Helston Walk, Middleton, two days later.

Mr Standfast said the victim lived at the house with her brother and mother.

Her brother was on his own at the property when Kelly banged on the door.

The defendant forced his way inside and there was a fight between the two men.

Kelly was struck with a bottle and was pinned to the floor.

He tried to bite the brother who left his home to get help.

The prosecutor said Kelly then went through the house causing damage in every room.

He also smashed windows and overturned a fridge.

Police were contacted and Kelly racially abused the police officer who arrested him after a short foot chase.

Kelly, of Cottingley Drive, Cottingley, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, two offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage and racially aggravated harassment.

He has previous convictions for criminal damage and affray.

Taryn Turner, mitigating, said Kelly pleaded guilty to the offences at an early stage.

Ms Turner said Kelly now accepted that the relationship with the victim is over.

The barrister said her client had the offer of a job installing solar panels when he is released from custody and wished to put the offending behind him.

Kelly was jailed for 40 months.

Judge Robin Mairs said the attack on the woman was aggravated by the fact that he had humiliated the victim.