Dangerous man jailed for coercive and controlling behaviour

A man has been jailed for engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour with a woman he was previously in a relationship with.

The victim reported that over the space of 19 months, Leon Richmond strangled her twice while she was pregnant; bit her on the arm causing a scar; threatened to kill her while he was assaulting her; regularly accused her of being unfaithful; constantly undermined, criticised and verbally used her; threatened to destroy her property and often did destroy her property; threw food at her if he didn’t like it; and bombarded her with abusive messages.

Richmond, 28, now of no fixed address but formerly of Victoria Grove, Bolton, pleaded guilty to engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour.

He was jailed for 31 months when he appeared in the dock at Preston Crown Court on Friday (28^th February 2025). Richmond was also made subject of an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim directly or indirectly.

In an impact statement to the court, the victim said: “I would first like to say that I have thought long and hard about the person that I was before I met Richmond. The word that mostly comes to mind was happy. I loved life, I had lots of people surrounding me. I had everything. I was confident, sociable and had a real zest for life. I had a stable career in education which was my dream, which enabled me to be financially independent. When I look back I have mixed emotions, I am happy and proud of myself for everything but it also saddens me that I am no longer this person.

“I have a few points and comparisons to make in this statement and the first is that Richmond was the perfect partner in the beginning. I cannot describe how good he was. When I think about him, I fully understand why and how I fell head over heels in love with him. I just wish this act was the real him. I am a survivor. I survived domestic abuse. I am proud that I can say this. I know many people can't. I also know that had I not taken steps to protect myself and my children that this situation would have continued. You can’t fully put into words how fast and irrevocably your life can change completely due to one decision. This is what I am living now. My decision was Richmond.

“My mental health is suffering as a direct result of him. I have triggers which I am working through and am still discovering new ones. The main nightmare is of him and his abuse, of when he is in one of those moods and is coming towards me. This is debilitating. I stay near my home address, near familiar places, don’t feel safe going out and if I do go out I feel like I will have a panic attack. I don’t think many people can fully appreciate how suffocating this is. I am trying my hardest to get back to being the woman I know. I want my happy life back. I want my confidence I wasn’t scared of anybody or anything I truly was free before him and now I am trapped.”

DC Sarah Birtwistle, from East Division, said: “Richmond’s behaviour towards the victim is reprehensible and has had a significant and ongoing impact on her. He quickly turned from a loving boyfriend into a monster who made the victim’s life a daily nightmare through his controlling, coercive and physically and verbally abusive behaviour.

“Such behaviour has no place in our society and I would encourage anyone who is living it or knows or suspects someone else is the victim of it, to contact the police straight away, You will be listened to, you will be believed and we will do everything in our power to put the perpetrator before the courts.”

If you or somebody you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, report it online via https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/  or call 101. If a crime is in progress always call 999. For help and support visit www.noexcuseforabuse.co.ukhttps://noexcuseforabuse.info/