Wigan bully drove his girlfriend to the brink of suicide, court hears
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Cole McKenzie’s victim said, “He made me feel scared, trapped and down about my body. He made me feel like nothing, just someone’s punch bag and I didn’t want to be alive.”
A court heard that during their turbulent relationship McKenzie twice tried to push her down the stairs at his home and repeatedly punched and kicked her.
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Hide AdHe also sometimes took her phone so she could not ring for help and while she slept deleted friends from her social media, said Joanne Maxwell, prosecuting.
The 19-year-old defendant from Brown Street, Tyldesley, pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour and three offences of assault by beating were left to lie on the file.
A judge told McKenzie: “A girlfriend is not a possession.”
Miss Maxwell told Liverpool Crown Court that the defendant had been in a relationship with the 17-year-old victim, from Glazebury, Warrington, since January last year and while it was initially good after three months he began losing his temper and becoming violent.
“He would hit her, kick her, punch her to the stomach and attempt to push her downstairs on two occasions while telling her that she deserved it.
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Hide Ad“He would shout at her saying he wished she was not alive or born.”
On occasion he made her leave late at night when she had nowhere to go and would confiscate her mobile phone so she could not call for help.
“He told her she was never going to leave him or if she did he would come after her,” said Miss Maxwell.
McKenzie would go through her social media on her phone, often while she was asleep, and delete friends he did not like. If she was out he would demand she return and threatened he would otherwise go to her home and be violent to her mum and siblings.
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Hide Ad“She became so scared she did not want to face the day and get out of bed and go to college.”
Miss Maxwell said that on August 28, after an argument while he was on his games console, he kicked her on the leg and then punched her in the same place several times.
The next day he again lost his temper while on his console and punched her in the eye. He pinned her down and punched her arms. She needed to wear make up to hide her black eye for a fortnight.
“He pulled her by the arms to the top of the stairs and tried to push her down but she was able to grab hold of he bannisters and sat down.”
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Hide AdMcKenzie walked her to the front door and threw her out, she said.
On September 22 he grabbed her and punched her on the arms after again losing his temper.
When arrested and interviewed McKenzie, who has no previous convictions, made no comment.
Olivia Beesley, defending, said that he struggles with immaturity and is to be assessed for ADHD.
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Hide AdHe lost his brother-in-law, who had been a father figure to him, in April last year and his mother, with whom he lives, is in poor health. He hopes to return to college next September to take a joinery course.