Manipulative Northampton man 'mentally destroyed' his girlfriend after a year of abuse

Troy Hogg, 20, began his 'degrading' campaign of abuse in November 2018 and the pair moved in together in June 2019. By the time they split at the end of October, he had isolated her from her family, made her feel worthless and terrified her into not leaving the house.

He regularly assaulted her and then slapped her while she was holding their tiny baby.

Hogg, of Nethermead Court, Lings, Northampton appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced for harassment and coercive and controlling behaviour. He refused to accept that he was to blame for his behaviour.

Barrister Lynsey Knott, prosecuting, said: "The defendant would tell the complainant she couldn't leave the house and if she did, he'd contact her and ask where she was, who she was with and how long she would be. If she did not reply, he'd become angry and tell her he'd run away with her baby.

"He'd threaten to assault her and her family. He blocked her family on Facebook. He said he'd end her life and take her baby if she was to leave him.

"He isolated the complainant so most of her time was spent alone at home.

"He called her a dirty tramp, lazy and worthless. He said she did not deserve to be a mother."

The court heard how, in June 2019, the former sports shop worker began to physically assault his girlfriend 'on a weekly basis'.

Ms Knott continued: "He'd lose his temper over trivial matters and would slam doors and break things in their home."

At the beginning of October last year he slapped her around her face while she was holding their baby because she hadn't cleaned the house well enough.

"He said that taking the baby for her jabs was no excuse for the house being untidy," said Ms Knott.

Hogg continued his aggression through the night and into the next morning, at which point his girlfriend contacted her mum who phoned the police.

He was arrested and ordered not to contact the victim, but he continued to do so and told her he'd slit his wrists if she didn't visit him.

After several similar phone-calls, the victim decided to visit Hogg at his parents' house but he became aggressive and had to be stopped by his brother. He told the victim that if she didn't continue a relationship with him she and her daughter would 'cease to exist.'

On October 26 he made 59 phone-calls to her and was again arrested.

In a moving victim impact statement referred to in court, the victim said: "He wanted to completely isolate me from friends and family.

"Looking back at the first three months of my daughter's life, he ruined what should have been a really special and precious time.

"I feel sad as I'll never get this time back."

The court heard how Hogg had refused to allow his girlfriend's mum to come into the delivery room with her, instead inviting his own sister along. The baby's grandmother had not been allowed to see the child until she was six weeks old.

The victim said she is concerned her daughter has been adversely affected by the violent relationship. She added: "It's my job to protect my daughter. I can't see myself being completely happy ever again. He's mentally destroyed me.

"All along he was pretending to be something he wasn't. I'm frustrated I couldn't see through him. I believe he would have killed me.

"I feel constantly on edge and I'm living my life looking over my shoulder.

"I'm living in a permanent state of fear and worry due to his behaviour."

The court heard how Hogg had not admitted that he thought most of his behaviour was wrong and the only mitigation offered was that he was just 20-years-old.

His brave former girlfriend sat alone in the public gallery throughout the sentencing hearing.

Hogg had admitted the harassment charge but had denied coercive control. He was convicted at a magistrates' court trial in December but JPs considered the crime so serious that they said Hogg must be sentenced by a crown court judge. He appeared via videolink at the higher court on Friday (January 10) for sentence.

Her Honour Judge Crane said: "You degraded her, restricted her movements and made threats.

"In the pre-sentence report you still don't take responsibility for your behaviour. You blame her or her parenting skills.

"You blame her for the harassment.

"You are a manipulative, abusive and controlling young man. You failed to show real remorse.

"Unless you are prepared to address your attitude and behaviour, future relationships are likely to be troubled and abusive and that will impact on your daughter."

Hogg was sentenced to two years in jail for the controlling and coervcie behaviour charge and 12 weeks for harassment, to be served consecutively. He will serve half of his sentence in jail and the rest on licence.

No restraining order was made because the victim said that she wished to have an effective co-parenting relationship with Hogg. The victim has now managed to rebuild her relationships with her family and some of her friends.