Jail for abuser who threatened to kill woman and burn kitten

A man who strangled and threatened to kill his former girlfriend and pour boiling water over one of her kittens has been jailed.

Tyrece Appleby, aged 22, had been staying at the woman’s home in Nottingham when he turned on her on October 8 last year – repeatedly putting his hands around her neck and squeezing her to the point of unconsciousness.

Appleby became angry after falsely accusing his victim of been unfaithful to him.

He then strangled her on two occasions to prevent her from leaving the address.

Six days later he again turned on the woman as she sought refuge at the home of a friend.

During the course of the day, he became increasingly agitated and sent her a series of aggressive and threatening messages in a bid to get her to return home.

After making specific reference to another man who murdered his partner by strangling and setting fire to her, he then threatened to burn down her flat.

He also made a video call to his victim during which he violently shook one of her kittens by the scruff of its neck and threatened to douse it with boiling water.

He also threatened similar harm to his victim and her friend.

Police were called and Appleby was arrested.

He later pleaded guilty to two counts intentional strangulation, threatening to damage or destroy property, sending a communication threatening death or serious harm, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Appleby, of Lothair Road North, Hornsey, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday and was jailed for two years and 11 months.

He was also given restraining orders forbidding future contact with both victims.

Police Investigator Chloe Markham, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“This was an appalling display of violence that left a young woman in genuine fear of her life.

“I can only imagine the fear she felt as he placed his hands around her neck and prevented her from leaving her own home.

“Even after she’d left the address Appleby continued his sadistic and threatening behaviour with a series of deliberately menacing communications.

“One particularly chilling aspect of his behaviour was his deliberate reference to another young woman who was brutally murdered by her partner.

“Another was his very deliberate decision to mistreat and threaten a live animal to further hurt his victim.

“Unsurprisingly she has been gravely affected by these incidents, so I hope today’s sentence – and the restraining order imposed by the judge – will help her to move forward with her life.”