Bolton: Man dodges jail for strangulation due to prison conditions
Aaron Campbell had been in the relationship with a woman since 2021.
Bolton Crown Court heard this was “tumultuous” and in March this year they were living together as Campbell had nowhere else to go.
The woman found messages on his phone from another woman and when Campbell saw this he became violent.
Campbell strangled her on three separate occasions that day.
The incident came to an end when Campbell left the property.
Andrew MacKintosh, prosecuting, said what the impact on the victim had been.
He read a victim personal statement, which said: “I am so scared of seeing him again.
“I do not want to trust any one.
“I have been having breakdowns since this.
“It has made me feel like I do not want to live in Bolton any more.”
Campbell, 37 and from Maze Street, Bolton, denied the offence of intentional strangulation but was convicted by the magistrates court and appeared in the crown court to be sentenced.
The court heard he admitted some physical contact had taken place when he spoke to probation staff.
Paul Becker, defending, said: “He has caused great shame on himself and his family.
“He is sorry for the harm he has caused.”
Recorder Alexandra Simmons said he deserved prison but spared him this due to the present conditions in prisons.
She said: “Your risk to the public is assessed as medium, the probation service feel they can manage you in the community.
“The thing that sways it is the conditions in custody at the moment.
“If you get a custodial sentence today you will not receive the involvement of the probation service while in custody.”
She suspended a sentence of 20 months for 18 months, ordered him to take part in the building better relationships programme, to complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and also to do 150 hours of unpaid work.
She also imposed a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his former partner for five years.
The judge had asked whether the Court of Appeal case of Ali still applied and was told it was.
The landmark judgement stated that courts could take account of the very high prison population and if a sentence crossed the custodial threshold for a short sentence they could can elect to suspend the sentence or impose a community order instead.
Source – INDIA TV
