Abusive partner jailed after making victim's life 'a living hell'

John Coulson repeatedly defied the terms of a restraining order over a four-month period after he was banned from contacting the woman.

Leeds Crown Court was told of the catalogue of offending which took place between August and November last year.

Coulson, 41, was made the subject of a restraining order in July last year which prevented him from contacting his former partner after he was convicted of offences of assault and harassment against her.

Jemima Stephenson, prosecuting, said the victim received a phone call on August 12 from a number she believed to belong to the defendant’s cousin.

The woman was also contacted by one of her friends who told her she had been followed by Coulson.

When she rang the number back she was shocked to hear Coulson’s voice and hung up.

Later that day she was frightened as she thought she could hear Coulson’s voice at the block of flats where she lived in Otley.

On September 27 she received a call from Coulson. She told him he was ruining her life before hanging up.

Later that day she was contacted by a friend who had seen large posters of her which had been put up in Otley and Ilkley.

The posters contained a photo of the woman and stated: “Wanted. Pickpocket and shoplifter in Ilkley and Otley. Beware."

Coulson rang her repeatedly throughout October, on one occasion contacting her 30 times in one day.

Coulson, of Commonside, Hanging Heaton, pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a restraining order.

The woman provided a victim statement to the court describing how she had to move home because she was so frightened.

She is on medication for depression and anxiety and lived in fear of him finding her.

She said: “John Coulson has made my life a living hell.

"All he had to do was leave me alone after the restraining order but he would not. I am frightened that he never will.”

A probation service report recommended that Coulson be given a prison sentence to reduce the risk posed to the victim and to allow safeguarding work to be done with him while in custody.

Eleanor Mitton, mitigating, said Coulson had been in custody since December and accepted he would be facing a prison sentence over the breaches.

She said: “He has let himself down with behaviour like this.”

Judge Paul Greaney QC jailed Coulson for three years.

Coulson was also made the subject of a further restraining order banning him from contacting the victim or members of her family for an indefinite period.