Abuser threatened to make victim's life 'hell'
Northumbria PoliceA domestic abuser who threatened to make his victim's life "hell" if she did not withdraw her evidence to police has been jailed for two and a half years.
Reece Sweet, 23, subjected the woman to various forms of abuse before strangling and punching her, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
He then bombarded her with threats to drop her support for the prosecution, with the woman genuinely fearing he would harm her, Judge Gavin Doig said.
Sweet, from Gateshead, who is already serving three years and eight months for false imprisonment and assault of another woman, admitted assault, intentional strangulation and witness intimidation.
Sweet punched and strangled the woman days after she moved in with him during their "difficult and troubled" year-long relationship, judge Gavin Doig said.
Having reported some matters to police, the woman then withdrew her statement, with investigators initially believing her retraction was "genuine" and resulting in Sweet being acquitted of some offences, the judge said.
However, it later emerged Sweet had "persuaded" her to retract her support, the court heard, with the woman being told Sweet would "make her life hell" if she did not do as he demanded.
"She was of the firm belief you would harm her," the judge told Sweet.
Doig said it was an "extremely serious example of witness intimidation".
