22 year old Harry England of Richford Street in Hammersmith was sentenced to a six month, suspended sentence at Isleworth Crown Court after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour.
He was also ordered to engage in an 18-month Community Order, to attend a ‘building better relationships’ programme. He was ordered to undertake 85 hours of unpaid work.
A Restraining Order was also put in place until further notice
preventing any contact, direct or indirect with the victim.
The
victim survivor, said: “Meeting Harry England is the one thing I regret
about moving to London. I came here, full of hope and excited about my future.
I wanted to make friends and have fun. I came to London to work and experience
life, make a career in something I have wanted to do since I was 12-years old.
“When
I met Harry, everything changed. His actions broke me. He made me question my
faith and trust in people. I have spent the last three years trying to fix what
he broke. Re-establishing relationships, learning to trust people, finding
healthy ways to deal with stress, working out what life is about and trying to
live in a way I can be proud of.
“I
am grateful to the police for believing in me and supporting me when I really
needed it. I will never be the same girl I was when I first met him, and that
saddens me. She was a lot more calm and a lot more forgiving.
“I
am slowly learning to love the woman I am now, but I do miss the girl I was.”
The
woman was in her late teens when she first met England. During their time
together he controlled all aspects of her life and continued to do so after the
relationship was over.
He
wore her down by the constant questioning and snide comments. He would
instigate arguments to make her feel worthless. To keep the peace she avoided
her friends and the fun they were having.
He
would criticise her behaviour, looks, friends and family. He would also tell
her what to wear and frequently tell her she was ‘fat’, at one point she was
less than six stone. She became a closed and insular person.
England
knew her college timetable and would turn up on several occasions, shouting and
behaving in an aggressive manner. She stopped attending her classes.
He
would also edit what she wrote on her texts, always looking over her shoulder.
After
a few months, the victim ended the relationship with England and informed him
to stop contacting her. One day she had over 60 calls from him. This resulted
in the victim blocking his number and on social media. He set up fake accounts
to try to make contact with her and even ended up standing outside her home
address, sending her unwanted gifts.
A
couple of months after the relationship had ended, England contacted police via
999 stating he was concerned for her welfare. Officers attended her address and
she decided to report his behaviour to the police.
Detectives
from Central West Basic Command Unit led the investigation, during which the
woman shared the details of her time with her former partner.
PC
Sol Bhugaloo, an officer who is specially trained to support victims of serious
sexual assault (SOIT Officer) who supported the victim survivor throughout the
investigation, said: “The victim survivor has shown immense courage
throughout this long and protracted investigation. She had to relive her
horrific ordeal whilst providing evidence in court. She has shown immense
strength and bravery throughout the investigation.
“It
is my sincere hope that the bravery shown by her will encourage all victims to
come forward. You will be listened to and you will be heard.”
In February last year, England was charged with two counts of rape, attempted
rape, assault and stalking involving fear of violence.
He
was found not guilty of the offences following a two-week trial. He pleaded guilty at the start of the
trial to controlling and coercive behaviour.
The
investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Henh Song, said: “The victim
survivor in this case has shown immense courage in standing up to England and
ensuring he was made to answer for his actions.
“This
was a three-year investigation and it was extremely hard for the victim who had
to attend court to provide evidence and be cross-examined. She has shown immense
strength and bravery throughout the investigation and we hope that the fact
England has admitted his abhorrent behaviour will allow her some measure of
closure so that she can rebuild her life.”
We
take all reports of stalking and abuse, recent or non-recent, extremely
seriously. Specially trained officers will support victim-survivors from the
outset.
If you have been a victim of stalking, sexual assault or rape, including non-recent abuse, or you have information about an offender, contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency – there are specially trained officers who will listen and investigate where needed.