Bristol gym attacker who left women fearing for their lives jailed after beating two people

A man who left women fearing for their lives when he attacked them inside the gym he ran in Bristol has been jailed.

David Flowers, 40, admitted to two counts of causing actual bodily harm, one of false imprisonment and one of criminal damage.

He was sentenced to five years and seven months at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday 17 August.

The attacks took place at Armoury Gym, also known as Real Fitness Gym, which Flowers owned and ran.

The gym has since changed hands and is now run by new owners.

The court heard how on 10 September 2021, Flowers became angry at his then-girlfriend and punched her repeatedly over a three-hour period.

He made derogatory comments throughout the assault and damaged her belongings.

The victim only managed to escape the assault when a member of staff at the gym arrived.

Flowers was arrested and then bailed, which is when the second attack against a new partner took place on 22 February.

Again, he attacked his victim at the gym - taking her phone and punching her before smashing her phone with a baton.

She escaped and was taken by two passers-by to a safe place so she could call the police.

Flowers was arrested the same day and was later charged and remanded into custody.

In his sentencing, Judge Cullum described Flowers as a 'danger to women' and emphasised the aggravating nature of the assaults in a domestic context.

He placed two restraining orders on the defendant, barring him from contacting either of his victims indefinitely.

It also bans him from certain areas of Bristol for the next five years.

Alongside the court order, the judge granted a Criminal Behaviour Order to last for 10 years.

The CBO is in place from the date of his sentence and means Flowers must inform police if he changes his address or lives with any woman.

Investigating officer, DIO Nicholls from Avon and Somerset Police said: "Flowers is a violent individual with a history of violence against his partners.

"He used his place of work as a location for his attacks, withheld or damaged their property and left them fearing for their lives.

"He is a dangerous man and is now behind bars where he cannot cause any further harm.

"We would like to commend both victims for their bravery in coming forward. They have shown incredible resilience throughout the criminal process and great courage when hearing the details of each other's cases at the sentencing hearing.

"We hope this result, including the restraining order, will go a long way to making them feel safer."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…