Scarborough thug jailed for five years after strangling partner and forcing her into car he drove "like lunatic"

Ricky Wells, 30, was in a “fit of rage” when he forced the woman into the car and continued assaulting her as he drove around the town and shot through red lights, York Crown Court heard.

The victim, who was named in court, thought he was going to “drive them off a cliff” and believed she was going to die, said prosecutor Ashleigh Metcalfe.

The horrific series of incidents began with an argument at the woman’s home in Scarborough after Wells saw a Facebook comment she had posted on the social-media page of a named man.

Wells was so aggressive that the victim left the house and went to her mother’s.

When she returned home in the early evening, Wells had gone but had taken her house keys.

“She tried to secure the front door by putting a chair (up against) the door handle (but) Wells returned (at night) and searched the house, looking for (the named man), saying he would kill him,” added Ms Metcalfe.

Another heated argument ensued during which Wells demanded the victim’s mobile phone “so he could check it”.

He then threw the phone to the floor and stamped on it, shattering the case.

“(Wells’s) demeanour then dramatically changed for the worse,” said Ms Metcalfe.

He slapped the victim twice and began throttling her while continuing to hit her.

He then grabbed a large kitchen knife which he brandished in front of her, saying: “I will kill you.”

Wells then demanded she get in his car and, too scared to resist, she did so, without even having time to put any shoes on.

“She was crying out loudly, but nobody helped her,” said Ms Metcalfe.

“(Wells) drove at speed, ignoring traffic lights and assaulting his partner (while) struggling with her to prevent her from escaping.

“She tried and failed to get the attention of a police car and was terrified he would drive them off a cliff. She didn’t dare try to jump out.”

They ended up in the South Bay area, about two miles from the victim’s home, by which time the victim’s top had been ripped off in the struggle, exposing her underwear.

“The defendant was physically preventing her from leaving the car,” said Ms Metcalfe.

“He then seemed to calm down.

"He drove them home (and) began to apologise.

"He kissed her and left the keys behind.”

The victim suffered swelling and bruising to her face and upper arm and a red mark around her neck where she had been throttled.

“She felt as if she had tonsilitis because her throat was so sore,” said Ms Metcalfe.

Wells was arrested the day after the terrible events, which occurred on March 21.

He was charged with false imprisonment, dangerous driving, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and damaging property.

He initially denied the offences but pleaded guilty at the last minute.

Wells, from Scarborough but of no fixed address, appeared for sentence via video link on Friday September 16, after being remanded in custody.

The court was told he had five previous convictions for 12 offences including harassment, violence against former partners and assaulting a pregnant female family member.

His solicitor advocate David Camidge said Mills now accepted that his behaviour towards the victim was “appalling and disgraceful”.

He said Wells had always been a working man and had two jobs at the time of the offences, which, together with “difficulties” in the relationship with the victim, had put him under a lot of pressure.

“On this occasion things got too much for him and effectively he lost his head,” added Mr Camidge.

“He looks back on these events with disgust.”

Judge Sean Morris told Wells: “This was a shocking series of offences.

"You have a problem with women and…this has considerable similarities to the last time you assaulted (a) partner.

“You think you have the right to control people’s lives (and) the women who are involved in your life.”

He added: “What you did in a fit of rage was to assault this lady by throttling her and slapping her and threatening to kill her, (before) brandishing a knife.

"You then took that woman…and drove like a lunatic, going through red lights, meanwhile still assaulting (her).

“It was the most disgraceful behaviour.

"She thought she was going to die; she thought you were going to drive off a cliff.

“Any woman who gets involved with you in future needs to look out because you are a woman-beater and in my experience people who do that continue to do that.

“You need to have a long, hard look inside your mind and whether you really ought to be with a woman at all.”

Jailing Wells for five years, the judge told him the offences were so serious that he would have to serve two-thirds of that sentence behind bars.

Wells was also given a 10-year restraining order banning from contacting the victim directly and received a 52-month driving ban.