Angel Lynn's aunt urges other women to speak out about controlling behaviour
The aunt of Angel Lynn, who suffered life-changing injuries when she fell out of a van after being kidnapped by her boyfriend, is urging other women to speak out if they're concerned about controlling behaviour.
Jackie Chamberlain said: "She started to not wear as much makeup he was telling her don't wear this, don't wear that.
"People just think coercive behaviour is boys to girls, it's not, it can be the other way around and women to men and men to women, it can be anybody.
"But those red flags that we mentioned to look out for when you no longer are allowed to speak to your family and suddenly these people have all slowly gone away.
"Look at your relationship and think 'Hang on a second' because I promise you, the last 16 months have been hell."
Chay Bowskill, who is 20-years-old and from Syston in Leicestershire, was jailed for seven and a half years after being convicted of kidnap, coercive and controlling behaviour and perverting the course of justice.
Angel suffered brain damage when she fell out of the van at around 60 miles an hour. She is now unable to communicate, walk or feed herself.
Sian Scholles, Domestic Violence Service Manager for Women's Aid spoke to ITV News Central about the signs of a coercive relationship:
What to look out for in a coercive relationship?
According to Women's Aid, the common examples of coercive behaviour are:
Isolating you from friends and family
Depriving you of basic needs, such as food
Monitoring your time
Monitoring you via online communication tools or spyware
Taking control over aspects of your everyday life, such as where you can go, who you can see, what you can wear and when you can sleep
Depriving you access to support services, such as medical services
Repeatedly putting you down, such as saying you’re worthless
Humiliating, degrading or dehumanising you
Controlling your finances
Making threats or intimidating you
What happened to Angel Lynn?
CCTV footage shows the shocking moment Chay Bowskill runs after his girlfriend Angel Lynn, before grabbing her in a bear hug and carrying her back to the transit van.
Angel Lynn, 19 suffered catastrophic injuries after leaving the vehicle as it travelled at an estimated speed of up to 60mph on the Loughborough-bound carriageway of the A6.
She is currently in a care home and requires round the clock care.
Angel's "controlling" boyfriend, Chay Bowskill, and his friend, Rocco Sansome, both 20, were convicted by a jury of kidnapping her on the morning of September 17, 2020.
Bowskill, from Syston, was cleared of "intentionally causing her grievous bodily harm", after it became unclear precisely how she left the vehicle.
He was also convicted of controlling and coercive behaviour towards Angel during their year-long relationship and perverting the course of justice, by seeking to persuade his mother to withdraw her police statement.
The kidnap happened after Angel, who was originally lawfully driving the van, had collected Bowskill and Sansome.
At some stage she was arguing with Bowskill and got out and walked off along the road, near Hilltop Garage, in Rothley.
CCTV footage shows Bowskill running after her, grabbing her in a bear hug and carrying her back to the transit van that was then driven away by Sansome - shortly before she ended up injured on the A6 near Mountsorrel at 10.45am.
Moments before she left the vehicle, Bowskill accepted telling her he "hated" her and never wanted to see her again.
He told the court they were driving her home to Loughborough when she fell onto the road, via the van's rear sliding side door, as he sat in the front passenger seat. He told the jury she jumped and caused her own injuries, which left him hysterical and distressed.