Man sentenced to three years and nine months for offences against former partner

A Northampton man who admitted repeatedly assaulting his former partner as well as coercive control, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Hayden Wykes, aged 27, was originally arrested by Northamptonshire Police in November 2020 after the woman bravely revealed that he had subjected her to multiple assaults and had been controlling what she did for around 18 months.

He was later charged with two counts of actual bodily harm, two counts of assault by beating and one count of engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour, relating to incidents which took place between July 2019 and February this year.

Having previously entered guilty pleas to the assault charges, Wykes was due to go on trial for the coercive control count, but at a hearing at Northampton Crown Court on November 26 he finally admitted this as well.

His controlling behaviour had included checking the woman’s phone and social media, interrogating her about her contact with others, emotional abuse including belittling her, making repeated derogatory comments, telling her that she should kill herself and gaslighting her to make her doubt what was actually happening. He also prevented her from seeing friends and controlled her finances, dictating what she could spend or buy.

In addition to his coercive and controlling behaviour, his physical assaults on the woman included slapping her around the head so hard he burst her ear drum, pushing her down the stairs, grabbing her round the throat and throwing her to the floor, and beating her so violently that he fractured two of her ribs.

At Northampton Crown Court last week he was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for his crimes.

Lead Investigator, PC Gina Anderson, of the domestic abuse team at Northamptonshire Police, said: “I am very pleased that this investigation has now drawn to a close and Wykes has been sentenced for his awful crimes against this lady.

“The last 18 months have been an uphill battle for her, and the best outcome in all of this is that she is happy and safe again.

“The sentence Wykes has now received will allow her more space and time to continue to heal and become even stronger, safe in the knowledge he can no longer cause her harm.

“I don’t like to use the word ‘victim’ to label people who suffer domestic abuse, I prefer the term ‘survivor’, because that is what they are. They are survivors when they are in the middle of struggling with an abusive relationship, and they are survivors when they are no longer in those relationships.

“The lady involved in this case is a true survivor and I want to thank her for putting her trust in me, and in Northants Police, during this investigation. I wish her the very best for her future.”