Longnor man kept woman prisoner, assaulted her and threatened to kill her

Christopher Southgate-Ford was given a nine-year extended sentence, with five years ten months to serve in jail.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday (August 23) that Southgate-Ford, 29, subjected his victim to controlling and abusive behaviour. He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

The court was told that on March 19 this year, Southgate-Ford, of Windy Ridge, Longnor, had threatened to kill his victim, assaulted her and unlawfully imprisoned her following an argument.

Southgate-Ford punched his victim, and then kicked and punched her repeatedly before tying her hands together behind her back and tying her to a bed.

He told her he had to kill her and cut her with a knife.

The court was also told that Southgate-Ford attempted to suffocate her with a pair of socks, then wrapped cling film around her face and poked a hole through it so she could breathe just as she was losing consciousness.

Detective Constable Paul Edwards, of Staffordshire Police, said the case had been built with the collation of CCTV, forensic evidence and interviews with witnesses.

“This was a tragic case demonstrating some of the most extreme bullying and controlling behaviour," he said.

“The judge identified the psychological harm as severe, which was a factor in the length of the custodial sentence.”