Man who abused partner jailed for 15 years

A man who physically, verbally and psychologically abused his partner over the course of six years has been jailed for 11 years.

James Oakes, 38, from Greenisland, County Antrim, will also spend a further four years on licence upon his release.

Oakes, pleaded guilty to to a total of 43 offences which he committed over a period from 31 November 2014 to 19 December 2020.

The charges include multiple assaults, threats to kill and criminal damage.

Warning: contains distressing content.

On Friday, Belfast Crown Court heard how Oakes attacked his partner with an range of weapons including a hammer while she was pregnant.

He also made threats to burn her alive, bury her in the garden and remove her teeth with a pair of pliers.

The court also heard that Oakes used coercive and controlling behaviour to assault, humiliate and degrade his partner, who has since been diagnosed with a complex post traumatic stress disorder.

The victim said she was slapped in the first assault in December 2014.

She also recalled how in 2015, Oakes kicked her front door in, strangled her and hit her head off a wall after she refused him entry to her flat.

Court heard that in August 2018, Oakes assaulted his partner causing her to flee through a window.

He had also twice previously tried to throw her through a window.

In September that year, an assault left the victim with a perforated eardrum and in November she attended hospital after being kicked and punched by Oakes.

Between March and April 2019, he put pliers in his partners mouth threatening to remove her teeth and dug a hole in her arm with a plastic potato peeler.

Oakes wrote ‘Death is dishonour’ on the victim’s kitchen wall in white paint.

On the same day, he dragged her by the hair into the back garden by hair and threatened to bury her whilst digging a hole.

The assaults continued in 2019, which included Oakes putting a cigarette out the victim’s face and striking her with implements such as a fire poker and curtain pole.

He also covered her in lighter fluid and said he was going to set her on fire.

In August 2020, he attacked her with a hammer while she was pregnant.

The prosecution revealed that Oakes would send the victim hammer emojis.

The victim was strangled and hit with a metal pole in September 2020 and she suffered a miscarriage in October.

In December 2020, he assaulted her a final time and slashed all four of her car’s tyres.

Defence barrister said Oakes guilty pleas to the charges spared his victim having to “relive the incidents” in a trial.

He also raised issues concerning Oakes’ mental health, which was exacerbated by drug use and is now being addressed.

He added that Oakes and the victim are no longer in contact.

Judge Lynch said a 61-page statement written by the victim set out the “torment suffered by her during the relationship and the long-term consequences”.

A senior public prosecutor said: “I commend the bravery, fortitude and dignity of the victim who found the courage to speak out and to engage with police and the PPS to enable us to prosecute Oakes for his heinous and cowardly behaviour.

“I hope the conclusion of proceedings today brings a sense of closure for the victim and allows her to start to move forward with the life that she deserves.”