Man jailed for strangulation and assault of his girlfriend
After eight months, the relationship began to break down and Leighton turned to violence
A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison after being found guilty of intentional strangulation and assault.
George Leighton, 26, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Friday, 19 September.
A woman started a relationship with Leighton in January 2024. After eight months, this began to break down and Leighton turned to violence.
On 14 September 2024, the victim-survivor and Leighton were driving home from Sunbury. Leighton took offence to her being unable to drop him off at a friend's house and he has grabbed her by the throat with both hands.
She managed to get him off her, but he has done it again, to a level that she has been unable to breath for several seconds. He has then hit her in the face, causing swelling.
Leighton assaulted her again a few weeks later on 10 October. While at home, he approached the woman in the bedroom and grabbed her by the throat, pushing her against the headboard of the bed leaving her confused and unable to breathe.
A bruise formed around her neck and further bruising appeared after he grabbed her shoulder and upper arm. He also hit her to the side of the face.
The third assault took place just five days later. While driving, Leighton asked if he could use the victim-survivor's car to make some money - which she has refused. This annoyed Leighton. He threatened to break up with her if she didn't allow it.
His anger has escalated to the point where he grabbed hold of her head and hit it against the side of the car, causing her to go unconscious. She came around a few seconds later and Leighton was still hitting her head against the door.
Leighton showed no remorse. He laughed at her, accused her of pretending to be unconscious and continued his assault by forcing her head into his lap. Moments later, Leighton collided with another vehicle and the victim-survivor sustained a cut to her upper lip and lost part of her hair.
On 18 October, Leighton grabbed the victim-survivor's phone and threw it out of a car window before exiting the vehicle to throw it on the floor again. Two days later, the victim-survivor was with a friend. Leighton turned up at the address and doorbell camera footage showed him shouting for the door to be opened. As he was leaving, he has smashed the driver side window of her car.
Leighton was arrested on 21 October and subsequently charged for multiple offences.
In his interview, he was given the opportunity to comment on his behaviour but replied 'no comment' to all questions. The only reaction he gave was to laugh at the doorbell footage of himself before causing criminal damage.
Leighton pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage. Following a trial at Chichester Crown Court, he was found guilty of two counts of intentional strangulation and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Investigating officer Natalie Ridley from our Domestic Abuse Team said: "First, I would like to commend the survivor for showing the strength to come forward and report the awful violence she was subjected to. Without her courage and trust in Surrey Police, Leighton would not have faced justice.
"As a Force, we take every report of domestic abuse and violence seriously and will do everything we can to support survivors. I would urge anyone who may be impacted by domestic abuse to come forward.
"You will be supported and heard from the outset."