A killer driver is back behind bars for subjecting his partner to a barrage of "mental torture".
Paul Hughes, jailed for causing death by careless driving in 2018, left his then-girlfriend so scared she had to move out of the area and away from her children to feel safe. As well as taking control of her life, he also abused her mentally and physically, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
As the 39-year-old, of Simonburn Avenue, North Shields, was jailed sobbing, his victim outlined the devastating impact he had on her. She said: "I feel completely isolated and trapped by him. He forced me to live supervised and stopped me receiving medical care.
"He has made my life completely miserable. I'm scared of Hughes and what he might do should I go against him in any way."
She added: "As a result of his offending and in order to feel safe, I've had to move out of the area, away from my children, which is extremely upsetting. I'm having to pay for travel and a hotel to have contact with my children.
"I find it difficult to go to sleep at night. He sabotaged my family relationships, he would not let me see family members.
"I struggle to overcome his mental torture. I feel like I will get judged if I speak to another man or dress how I like."
The court heard Hughes had been in an on-off relationship with the victim since 2020. In April last year, they argued and she went upstairs. John Crawford, prosecuting, said: "He went on her phone and saw pictures on it he took exception to because he thought she was being unfaithful. He followed her upstairs and barged into the bathroom and started shouting at her.
"He grabbed her throat and squeezed her neck and restricted her breathing. He continued shouting abuse and threatening her."
As Hughes rang various people complaining about the woman, she took the chance to flee without her phone or belongings and went to a nearby garage to get staff to phone the police.
The following day, with Hughes standing over and telling her what to write in an email, the woman retracted her statement about the events of the previous evening.
Despite Hughes being on bail with conditions not to contact her, they continued living together. But in May another row blew up and he lost his temper again.
He went to grab her throat but this time his hand hit her in the mouth, causing a tooth to be knocked out. She said he would not let her seek medical help or go to the dentist afterwards.
Mr Crawford told the court: "She said the relationship as a whole was controlling. He would call her names, made her feel bad for wanting to go anywhere, he had control of her Facebook, bank card and email and her family were alienated."
In August last year, the woman had not taken her insulin for days and said she felt suicidal because of the relationship. She ended up being admitted to hospital, during which time he tried to maintain control of her and pressured her to discharge herself.
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Hughes, who has 15 previous convictions, including the death by careless driving in 2018 and an assault, pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Jailing him for a total of 38 months, Judge Carolyn Scott said he had subjected the woman to a "barrage of controlling and coercive behaviour". She added: "This was persistent and over a prolonged period and you used multiple methods to control and coerce her."
Matthew Purves, defending, said Hughes had abused alcohol from the age of 11 then progressed to taking drugs and by the age of 18 had sclerosis of the liver. Mr Purves said it was a family member Hughes killed in the driving case and added: "That has been an emotional plague upon him. It effects him continuously."
Mr Purves said Hughes' contact with the woman's tooth was reckless, not intentional and said he is described as a "loving person who supports his mother and father", who are in poor health.
Mr Purves added: "He recognises his behaviour has been incredibly unpleasant."
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