Prison sentence for man guilty of domestic abuse

A man from Birmingham has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison after pleading guilty to assault and criminal damage offences.

*Image courtesy of National Probation Service

Charlie Clark (also known as Jacob Taylor), aged 29 and from Finstall Close, Birmingham, appeared at Worcester Crown Court on 13 January 2021.

Clark was arrested on 16 November 2020 and charged on 17 November 2020 following reports to police that he had violently attacked a his former partner in her home in Bromsgrove.

The victim, a woman in her 40s had been strangled and beaten however she was able to escape the house and a member of the public raised the alarm to the police.

Clark was sentenced to 33 months in prison and a restraining order was also granted to protect the victim from further harm.

Detective Constable Claire Masters said: “The victim, while now safe, initially did not want to involve the police because she was so scared of Clark, fearing further violence and harm should she pursue a complaint. I cannot commend her enough however for making the brave and courageous decision to come forward and speak out. She trusted officers to listen, to take the appropriate action and has thanked us for our support and she truly believes that her decision to speak to us has saved her life.

“During lockdown, we are aware it is increasingly harder for victims to escape domestic abuse and violence. Domestic abuse perpetrators are using the restrictions to control, manipulate and instil fear in their victims. Household isolation instructions as a result of coronavirus do not apply if you need to leave your home to escape domestic abuse.

“Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality or background and if you are experiencing domestic abuse and need immediate help, ask for ‘ANI’ in a participating pharmacy. ‘ANI’ stands for Action Needed Immediately but also phonetically sounds like the name Annie. If a pharmacy has the ‘Ask for ANI’ logo on display, it means they’re ready to help. They will offer you a private space, provide a phone and ask if you need support from the police or other domestic abuse support services.

“I want to pay tribute to the courage and bravery of every single victim in coming forward to report domestic abuse and also to those living with it every day I say this to you; if you reading this and you are in fear of someone in your home hurting you I urge you to contact the police. We are here and we will help you and we will support you.

If you have been a victim of domestic abuse, or are worried about someone you know being abused, please contact West Mercia Police on 101 or if a crime is in progress please call 999.

If you or someone you are worried about is a victim of domestic abuse, you can call Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free, confidential support, 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247. Visit the helpline website to access information on how to support a friend.

If you believe there is an immediate risk of harm to someone, or it is an emergency, always call 999.

Anyone who is a victim and feels they may need support, or may not want to contact the police can contact West Mercia Police's Victim Advice Line which is a free, independent and confidential support service. People can call 0800 952 3000 or visit www.victimadviceline.org.uk

Issued by AG, Corporate Communications