May 30, 2017 3.23 pm This story is over 82 months old

Man strangled former partner so hard she was left physically sick by the ordeal

A man strangled his former partner in a hotel room after she agreed to a reunion, Lincoln Crown Court has heard. Jamie Toyne put his ex Chantelle Brown through a three-hour ordeal at the Travelodge hotel leaving her so frightened that she was physically sick. Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, said that at the time Toyne was…
Jamie Toyne has been jailed for 16 months

A man strangled his former partner in a hotel room after she agreed to a reunion, Lincoln Crown Court has heard.

Jamie Toyne put his ex Chantelle Brown through a three-hour ordeal at the Travelodge hotel leaving her so frightened that she was physically sick.

Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, said that at the time Toyne was already under a restraining order not to contact Ms Brown following an incident last year which led to him being jailed.

Despite the fact that she wrote to Toyne telling him that the relationship was over he bombarded him with calls and texts following his release from his prison sentence.

Miss Bradley said that Ms Brown later visited Toyne at his mother’s house after he sent her a threatening text message.

On that occasion he struck her a number of blows before his mother intervened.

The prosecutor said: “After that he continued to contact the complainant. She describes being bombarded by text messages from him.

“On March 6 she agreed to meet him again. He began to give her a sob story that he had nowhere to stay.

“She offered to put him up at a Travelodge and stay with him.

“She collected him and drove him to the Travelodge. Vodka was purchased. The more he drank the more aggressive he became.

“He worked himself up into a rage and he strangled her twice.

“On the first occasion he put his hands around her throat and lifted her off the floor.

“The second time he did it she was on the bed. She passed out and when she came round he was punching her.

“After the punches he had a complete about-turn and apologised.”

Miss Bradley said that Ms Brown tried to leave and managed to get out of the room and into the hotel corridor only for Toyne to drag her back.

The incident was witnessed by someone in the hotel and police were called.

Toyne had left before officers arrived. Later he again contacted her with repeated messages and Ms Brown met up with him.

He demanded to be taken to Scotter but became aggressive during the journey and put his foot through one of the car windows.

When they arrived at Scotter he chased her around the car before she drove him back to Gainsborough.

Later Ms Brown made a complaint to police.

Miss Bradley said that the incidents had “an horrendous impact” on Ms Brown emotionally and have caused her extreme distress.

Toyne, 25, of Elsham Walk, Gainsborough, admitted two charges of assault by beating together with breach of a restraining order and damaging a car window.

He also admitted breach of a suspended jail sentence imposed by magistrates in February this year for driving while disqualified.

He was jailed for a total of 16 months and given an indefinite restraining order which bans him from contacting Chantelle Brown and bans him from entering Gainsborough.

Judge John Pini QC, passing sentence, told Toyne: “You have a poor record. There has to be an immediate custodial sentence.”

Stephen Cobley, in mitigation, said Toyne now acknowledges that the relationship was toxic.

“He understands that his behaviour is wholly unacceptable. He is ashamed of the way he behaved.

“He seeks to build a new life for himself on his release from custody. He wants to move away from the Gainsborough area.”