A man who headbutted his partner shortly after she gave birth and strangled her while she was feeding their baby boy in a vile attack has been jailed.
Kieron Barnard, from Lincoln, subjected his victim to a nine-month campaign of abuse, which included headbutting her shortly after she had given birth. Today, the 22-year-old was sentenced to three years and three months behind bars at Lincoln Crown Court after earlier pleading guilty to three charges of controlling and coercive behaviour, strangulation and threatening to cause damage. Distressing evidence heard in court detailed eight incidents of domestic violence, with the abuse beginning in March 2024.
Phil Howes, prosecuting, said this included Barnard throwing a plastic chair, games console and remote control at his victim. He also aimed a kick and punch at her head, reported BBC News.
Their child was born in October 2024, but in another violent outburst the following month he headbutted her nose, causing her several weeks of pain. Mr Howes said the abuse continued over Christmas, when she had moved to another area of Lincoln.
In one incident on Boxing Day heard by the court, Barnard placed his hands around the neck and started strangling her while she was feeding their baby son.
In a harrowing victim statement read the court, the woman told how her life flashed before her eyes during the attack, and said she was left “in such shock.”
She also recalled how Barnard – who has previous convictions for domestic incidents from a previous relationship – threatened to come after her if she reported him to the police.
“The more time I spent with him I realised this was no joke,” said the victim. In his sentencing remarks, Recorder Adrian Jack said there was a “concerning background” to Barnard’s offending.
“Every relationship with a woman you have had seems to have resulted in criminal behaviour,” he added.
An estimated 4.8% of people in the UK aged 16 years and over – 6.6% of women and 3.0% of men – experienced domestic abuse in the last year, according to the Office of National Statistics. However, it is thought that less than 24% of all criminal domestic abuse is reported to the police. The Refuge charity says 1 in 4 women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk. If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit** www.aafda.org.uk**.
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