An abusive ex-boyfriend who repeatedly assaulted a woman at a flat in Margate has been jailed for three years and one month.
Jak Barrow, 24, of no fixed address, refused to let his former partner leave the property during a six-hour ordeal in which he kicked, punched and bit her, dragged her by her hair and held a knife to her throat.
The incident happened in Trinity Square between 10.30pm on Wednesday 28 September 2016 and 4.30am the following day.
Charged
Barrow handed himself into police and was charged with false imprisonment, two counts of assault and one count of criminal damage for smashing his victim’s mobile telephone.
He pleaded guilty to all four offences and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday 21 March.
The court heard how Barrow’s relationship with his victim lasted for just two weeks in July 2016 and that they had not seen one another since.
However, on the night in question they met up and started drinking together at the property in Trinity Square. Following a disagreement Barrow grabbed her by the hair and then repeatedly assaulted her while forcing her to consume further alcohol.
Bite marks
The woman suffered numerous injuries as a result of the incident, including bite marks to her back and neck, bruising across her entire body and knife marks to her neck.
She was eventually able to leave the flat when Barrow left her to visit the bathroom, but he chased after her and further assaulted her outside the property until neighbours heard her screams and intervened.
‘Vicious’
Investigating officer Detective Constable Neil Martin said: “Jak Barrow has shown himself to be a particularly vicious character who put his victim through six hours of misery.
“He is clearly a danger to women and belongs behind bars for the crimes he has committed. There is never any excuse for domestic violence and the courts quite rightly take a dim view of those who let their fists do the talking.
“I would like to pay tribute to the victim in this case for having the courage to report what happened to her, and hope others take strength from her actions and realise that they need not suffer in silence.”