Angel Lynn's kidnapper ex-boyfriend Chay Bowskill has sentence increased, appeal court rules
A kidnapper who bundled his then-girlfriend Angel Lynn into a van before she was found seriously injured, has had his sentence increased to 12 years by Court of Appeal judges.
Chay Bowskill, then aged 20, of Syston, Leicestershire, picked up Angel Lynn and put her back into the van, being driven by his accomplice Rocco Sansome, after she had left it to get away from him in September 2020.
Angel, 19, was later found lying seriously injured in the carriageway of the A6 near Loughborough and has been left with permanent brain damage. This means she will need care for the rest of her life.
Bowskill, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in January after being convicted of kidnap, coercive and controlling behaviour, and perverting the course of justice, following a trial at Leicester Crown Court.
His accomplice, Rocco Sansome, then also aged 20, of Birstall, Leicestershire, was also found guilty of kidnap and sentenced to 21 months in prison.
As part of the sentencing review, the jail term handed to Bowskill for kidnapping Angel has gone up from three years three months to 12 years, which he will continue to serve at a Young Offenders' Institution.
Angel 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 remains in hospital and requires round the clock care.
Bowskill and Sansome were convicted by a jury of kidnapping her on the morning of September 17, 2020.
Bowskill 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.
Both men had their sentences for the kidnap of Ms Lynn referred to the Court of Appeal by Solicitor General Alex Chalk QC, who argued they were "unduly lenient".
Angel Lynn's aunt, Jackie Chamberlain, previously told ITV Central her niece will "never have a normal life"
Giving a summary of their decision, Dame Victoria Sharp, who is the President of the Queen's Bench Division, said: "We have concluded that the sentence passed on him for the kidnap was unduly lenient."
She said the original term "failed to reflect the seriousness of the kidnap" and the harm caused to Ms Lynn as a result.
Members of Ms Lynn’s family gasped as the judge told the court of the increased sentence.
Bowskill, who appeared over a video-link from prison wearing a grey sweatshirt, shook his head as he heard the result.
The judge said Sansome’s sentence “should have been longer” but that, in all the circumstances, including the fact he is close to being released, the court decided not to alter it.
Horrific video footage showed the moment in September 2020 when Ms Lynn was forcibly picked up by Bowskill and taken into a silver Transit van, which was driven off at pace by Sansome.
CCTV shows the moment Angel was kidnapped and bundled into a van in September 2020 by her then boyfriend Chay Bowskill
Dame Victoria told the court Bowskill had been in a relationship with Ms Lynn for about a year before the incident, and he behaved in a coercive and controlling manner towards her throughout that time, threatening her with violence on a number of occasions.
The judge said he tried to intimidate his own mother into retracting a statement she gave to police about his behaviour towards Ms Lynn following the kidnap.
In a statement released after the sentencing hearing, Ms Lynn’s family said: "Angel was so full of life and had such a great future ahead of her. That future has sadly been taken away from her.
"The catastrophic injuries Angel suffered will mean life will never be the same for her or our family.
"Every day is not only a huge struggle for Angel but also a huge struggle for our family and friends."
Dame Victoria said Bowskill must serve two thirds of his sentence behind bars before he can be released.
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