‘Controlling’ man jailed for domestic violence against partner

A Skegness man who subjected his partner to domestic violence and controlling behaviour during their seven week relationship was today (Tuesday) jailed for two years and eight months.

Robert Kenney, 32, came to the attention of police officers on 10 September last year when he flagged their vehicle down and claimed to have concerns for his partner.

Lincoln Crown Court heard the woman was not present when the officers visited her home with Kenney, but after the defendant left she returned with visible injuries.

Noel Philo, prosecuting, said the victim had bruises to her arms and face, and a laceration to her forehead which she disclosed were caused by Kenney.

In her police statement the woman said she had met Kenney at a festival in Skegness during July 2022 and initially found him exciting.

The woman said Kenney later “went ballistic” after she was messaged by a male friend and deleted all her male contacts on social media.

On another occasion Kenney grabbed the handbrake of the woman’s car while she was driving.

A significant argument then occured between them on 30 August, the woman disclosed, before there was a serious assault by Kenney on 8 September.

During that incident Kenney caused his partner to hit her head on a kitchen cabinet, punched her body and put his hands around her throat for a few seconds.

“She was struggling to breath and said ‘you’re choking me’ ,” Mr Philo said.

The court heard Kenney smeared his own faeces on the walls of his cell when he was taken into custody at Boston police station and assaulted a police officer.

In her victim impact statement, which was read out in court, the woman said she now realised Kenney had come into her life and completely taken it over.

She added: “I hate this man, and what he has done to my family, and wish I had never met him.”

Kenney, formerly of Grovesnor Road, Skegness, later pleaded guilty to one charge of controlling and coercive behaviour between 8 August and 11 September, 2022, a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm on 8 September, 2022, and criminal damage to the woman’s phone.

He also admitted assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage to his police cell on 12 September, 2022, and an earlier charge of assaulting an emergency worker on 8 July, 2022, when he kicked a police officer in the stomach.

Steve Taylor, mitigating, said the first serious argument only occured at the end of August.

“We are talking about a period of around two weeks,” Mr Taylor told court.

The court heard all but one of Mr Kenney’s previous convictions had occurred when he was still a teenager, with the last conviction in 2013.

Mr Taylor said his recent offending occured after the breakdown of his previous long term relationship.

He told the court Mr Kenney had already served the equivalent of an 11 month prison sentence and urged the court to follow the recommendations of his probation report for more support in the community.

Passing sentence Judge James House KC told Kenney he made wrong choices after failing to take medication for his own mental health and using illicit cannabis.

Judge House said significant harm and and distress was caused to the victim who must have felt like she was being terrorised.

The judge also made a restraining order preventing Kenney from having any contact with his former partner.

MyLocal Lincolnshire is the new home of The Lincolnite. Download the app now