Man jailed for beating ex-partner and taping her child's mouth shut in Merseyside

William Stephen Stokes was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and given a ten year restraining order Credit: Cheshire Police

A man has been jailed for three and a half years after beating his ex-partner and abusing her children.

William Stephen Stokes, from Rainhill in Merseyside, was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to a number of offences including internal suffocation.

The 37-year-old has also been issued a ten-year restraining order to protect the victims from Stokes.

Chester Crown Court heard how Stokes and his now ex-partner began seeing each other in 2022. Initially everything was going smoothly but as time passed he became increasingly more controlling, violent, and aggressive.

The court heard that Stokes also directed his anger towards her young children. In March 2023 Stokes and his ex-partner's family were driving when he grabbed one of her children by the seatbelt, pulling it so hard the child was left with a hip injury.

William Stephen Stokes was sentenced at Chester Crown Court

A month later, one of the children woke up crying, sending Stokes into a rage. To silence the child, he held her down and taped her mouth shut with gaffer tape.

His ex-partner then ended the relationship and reported Stokes to Cheshire Police on 1 April 2023.

Once he was arrested, Stokes was given bail conditions which included not contacting the victim. However, less than two weeks after his arrest he broke those conditions.

On 13 April, his ex-partner was collecting her children from school when she saw Stokes walking nearby. Her children started crying and asked to be taken home.

Stokes also had his friends threaten the victim and her family members, while he was also seen driving through his ex-partner's estate.

This led to Stokes being rearrested in May. At this point, he was charged with assault by beating, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional suffocation, stalking, possession of Class B drugs, and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Following his sentencing, Detective Constable Lauren Henthorn said: "This was an extremely traumatising experience for the victim in this case and I hope that Stokes’ sentence, along with his 10-year restraining order, will provide her with some reassurance."

  • If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse you can find support here.

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