Dronfield mother brands domestic abuser's three-year sentence an 'absolute joke'

Fallon Bramall suffered a broken nose and eye socket when her then-partner Leigh Hancock attacked her last year

A mother-of-two has branded the sentence of her then-partner an "absolute joke" after he was jailed for a violent attack which left her with life-changing injuries.

Fallon Bramall is still recovering from the assault which happened at her home in Dronfield last July and says she is lucky to be alive.

Her partner at the time Leigh Hancock was sentenced to three years and four months in jail.

Fallon said: "He just flipped on me, locked me in my flat, held knives to my neck, bit my face, he broke my jaw, broke my nose, he broke my eye socket and beat me continuously on the floor.

"I was covered in blood, I kept saying 'stop, you're hurting me, please I'm going to die'. All I was thinking was I'm never going to see my children again.

"I feared for my life. I'm lucky to be alive to be honest, I feel grateful that I'm here on this planet today."

Fallon Bramall wants tougher sentences for domestic abusers after her then-partner was jailed for three years and four months

Hancock, a former cage fighter, admitted three charges of making threats to kill, assault causing actual bodily harm and damaging property.

He served ten months on remand before he was sentenced which will count towards his jail term.

But Fallon says her abuser was not given long enough in prison, describing his sentence as "absolutely disgusting."

Man jailed for attacks on partner in front of young children

She said: "Something needs to be done about it. I think it puts people off wanting to do something about a situation. I think if I were to go through the same thing again I wouldn't go to the police. I'd suffer in silence."

"I feel really really angry about the whole system. It's an absolute joke. That's why people go out there and reoffend because they know they can get away with it."

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Independent judges decide sentences but this was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with Fallon Brammall.

"We have quadrupled funding for victim support and made major changes to police practice and the law so that victims of domestic abuse get the help, safety and justice they deserve." 

What are the signs of domestic abuse?

Domestic abuse can include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Coercive control (a pattern of intimidation, degradation, isolation and control with the use or threat of physical or sexual violence)

  • Psychological and/or emotional abuse

  • Physical or sexual abuse.

  • Financial or economic abuse.

  • Harassment and stalking.

  • Online or digital abuse.

If you need support, the following services are available: