Woman 'living in fear' after 'disgraceful' assault and harassment from ex-partner, Sheffield court told

Prosecuting, Erin Kitson-Parker, said defendant, James Hanlon, attacked his then partner, the complainant, at his home in the early hours of the morning on February 5, 2023, after spending the ‘evening in the pub’.

During a May 16, 2023 hearing, Ms Kitson-Parker told Sheffield Crown Court how in moments prior to Hanlon, aged 38, assaulting the complainant, he ‘accused her of being paranoid and told her to get out’.

The complainant complied with Hanlon’s request, and walked to the end of the street and ‘tried to obtain a taxi but couldn’t get one,’ Ms Kitson-Parker said, adding that Hanlon subsequently asked the complainant to come back to his house, and promised to order her a taxi from there.

When the complainant returned, however, Hanlon became ‘aggressive’ and shouted at her, before punching the kitchen cabinet next to her head ‘without warning,’ Ms Kitson-Parker told the court.

Hanlon left the kitchen immediately afterwards, and went into his bedroom, but returned a short time later.

“He grabbed [the complainant’s] hair, and dragged her along the counter,” Ms Kitson-Parker said. She added that Hanlon proceeded to drag the complainant to his front door, using ‘such force’ that a clump of her hair was removed.

In the hours following the assault, Hanlon, of Deightonby Street, Thurnscoe, Barnsley, proceeded to send a series of abusive and threatening messages to the complainant and a member of her family, including one in which he called the complainant ‘f***ing grass’.

Hanlon also made a phonecall to the complainant’s workplace, and demanded to speak to her, even after he was informed she was not present, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the complainant said Hanlon’s offending had made her feel ‘extremely anxious’ and as though she was ‘living in fear’. It had also resulted in her being unable to sleep and taking time off work, the court heard.

“She can’t help thinking about what she’s done to deserve this,” Ms Kitson-Parker said, summarising the complainant’s statement.

Hanlon was charged with, and pleaded guilty to, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of harassment.

Defending, Sean Fritchley, said Hanlon suffered a bereavement a few years ago and has not ‘dealt’ with his grief, turning to alcohol instead. Mr Fritchley said Hanlon was drunk when he carried out the assault on the complainant, and would not have behaved in that way ‘had he been sober’.

Mr Fritchley referred Judge Michael Slater to a reference written by another former partner of Hanlon’s, with whom he has children, who describes him as being a ‘kind’ and ‘loving’ father.

“There is a different side to him,” Mr Fritchley said.

He told the court that Hanlon has spent the last 11 weeks in custody on remand, and the conditions have meant that every day has been an ordeal.

Judge Slater sentenced Hanlon to 18 months’ custody, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days, an alcohol treatment requirement and to attend the building better relationships programme. He also granted an indefinite restraining order to protect the complainant.

The judge described Hanlon’s behaviour towards the complainant as ‘disgraceful,’ but said he felt able to suspend his sentence because Hanlon has already served the equivalent of a six-month prison sentence while on remand, and a 13-year gap in his offending – between 2010 and this conviction – has demonstrated that he can ‘stay out of trouble’.