Woman broke her back trying to escape abuser who tied her up in his home in Swindon
A man from Swindon who tied his partner up in his home has been jailed for seven years after she fractured her back trying to escape him.
Police were called to the Stratton area of the town on the evening of 29 December 2021 after Jodie Barnes made her way to a neighbour’s house to seek help.
The 27-year-old required hospital treatment after fracturing a vertebrae as she fell from a window.
Jodie told officers she had suffered numerous assaults at the hands of Colin Hawkins, including being bound with cable ties and having her head held under water.
Hawkins, 37, of Cowleaze Walk, Stratton St Margaret, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating.
He appeared at Swindon Crown Court on Tuesday 11 May and was jailed for a total of seven years. He was also given an indefinite restraining order to prevent him from making any contact with the victim.
Detective Constable Alex Doughty, from Wiltshire Police, said: “This was a horrific case and Jodie’s impact statement outlined how fearful she was of Hawkins and what he would potentially do to her.
“Jodie told us 'I am in a permanent state of fight or flight… I am petrified to think what Colin could do. I don’t think I’d make it out alive if he came for me now'.
“Hawkins is a violent individual and a convicted domestic abuse perpetrator, who has now received a substantial custodial sentence.
“This case proves how seriously we take this sort of offending and the work we will do to safeguard victims and ensure offenders face justice.”
Support and advice
Clare's Law - a scheme which allows anyone to ask police if their partner may be a risk to them.