Woman's bravery helps jail man who tried to suffocate and strangle her

A domestic abuser who tried to suffocate and strangle his former partner has been jailed after she found the courage to report him.

Alistair Hopkinson repeatedly subjected the woman to various acts of violent behaviour last year while they were in a relationship.

His campaign of abuse saw him fly into a jealous rage and choke his victim not just once – but twice – to the point she then lost consciousness.

Hopkinson punched the woman in the face during the first incident on 29 August last year, before grabbing her by the throat until she blacked out.

The 31-year-old's violent behaviour then escalated still further on 19 September, when he grabbed her head and forced it into a pillow, leaving her struggling to breathe.

That wasn't the end of Hopkinson's offending, however, as nearly one month later – on 18 October – he strangled her again at a Nottinghamshire address until she passed out.

When she eventually regained consciousness, the woman managed to fight off her attacker and raise the alarm, with police arriving soon afterwards to put Hopkinson in handcuffs.

The woman then showcased immense bravery by sharing details of Hopkinson's violent behaviour with the police, who were duly able to charge him with a multitude of offences.

These included two counts of intentional strangulation, one count of intentional suffocation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Having pleaded guilty to those charges, Hopkinson, of Chesterfield Road, Worksop, appeared before Nottingham Crown Court to be sentenced on Thursday (4 June).

He was subsequently jailed for two-and-a-half years and made the subject of a restraining order. This will last until further order and bans him from contacting the woman in any way.

Multiple further charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour against the same woman were all left to remain on file.

Detective Constable Ryan Coupe, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

"Alistair Hopkinson subjected this woman to a horrendous ordeal, so it is to her absolute credit she found the courage to report him to the police.

"Thanks to her bravery, not just at the time of the incidents but in the months since, we were able to build a strong case against Hopkinson that left him with no alternative but to admit what he'd done.

"We’re pleased to see he's now been sent to prison for his despicable actions, which – I'd like to emphasise once again – may not have been possible without her assistance.

"Tackling violence against women and girls is a priority for this police force, so our hope is that fellow survivors will follow this woman's lead by standing up to domestic abuse and reporting it.

"Our plea to anyone going through something similar is to please tell the police. As this case hopefully shows people – we will listen, you will be supported, and we will take action."

For more information about domestic abuse and how to report it, visit: https://www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/daa/domestic-abuse/