Helen Thornton was controlling and intimidating and she repaid her husband’s “love and support” in a “most grotesque way” through the relentless abuse, which included battering him with a rolling pin
A woman has been jailed after launching a relentless “night after night” campaign of abuse against her loving husband.
Former telephonist Helen Thornton is said to have made her husband’s life a misery through the spiteful abuse, which included stabbing him with the sharp point of an electric toothbrush and hitting him repeatedly with a rolling pin.
She repaid his “love and support” in a “most grotesque way” through the sadistic behaviour, Grimsby Crown Court heard. The 45-year-old denied two offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and another of controlling and coercive behaviour. After repeatedly breaching her bail, she was remanded into custody until her trial and subsequent conviction.
Judge John Thackray KC told a sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court that the controlling and coercive behaviour matter involved Thornton “instilling fear” in her husband that violence would be used against him. This happened on at least two occasions between 2016 and last year, Grimsby Live reports.
After the hearing, Thornton’s husband uttered nine brave words, saying: “I just don’t want her to hurt anyone else.”
“You made his life a misery and it’s not less serious because it was committed in a domestic setting, it’s more serious because it involved a breach of trust,” said Judge Thackray. “Your husband was entitled to feel safe and secure in his home and in the company of his wife.”
Thornton’s husband would suffer abuse and attacks “almost night after night”. On one occasion, in 2018, the police were called about an assault and a stabbing matter but he declined to take the matter further.
That incident involved Thornton stabbing him with the metal and sharp point of an electric toothbrush, causing at least one puncture wound. In February last year, she repeatedly attacked her husband with a rolling pin, causing serious bruising to him.
“You caused injuries on many occasions and made his life a misery,” said Judge Thackray. Thornton threatened to report him for matters that could have damaged him in his job and he started making recordings of things so that he could protect himself from any malicious allegations by her. “He feared that you might make false allegations against him,” said Judge Thackray.
“You would shout and abuse him. This is a very serious case of its kind. It’s not less serious because you are a female. That doesn’t make any difference whatsoever.
“It’s persistent behaviour over a long period and it has had a profound effect upon your victim. It took him a long time to report you for this behaviour. Eventually, he summoned the courage to report you and he bravely gave evidence against you.
“He was very much in love with you for a long time but you abused that love in a most grotesque way night after night. You abused and assaulted your husband, who did his best to love and support you in every way possible.
“The offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified. Only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence.”
John Dunning, mitigating, said that Thornton had been in custody on remand for about eight-and-a-half months. It was clear that she had suffered difficulties and that alcoholism had played a part in the offences being committed.
Thornton, who had been in custody at New Hall Prison, near Wakefield, was jailed for two years and she was given a 10-year restraining order.
He said that they had been married for 19 years and they were still married, although he had started divorce proceedings. He said that she had previously been a telephonist for BT but she had not worked for about 15 years.
He said that he did not want to comment further on his ordeal but added that he wanted the case to be made public.
