Abuser jailed after trying to smother woman in Crowborough
He has also been handed a 10-year restraining order.
A 64-year-old man has been jailed after assaulting a woman in her 60s over a year-long period at an address in Crowborough.
Ashley Gaunt, of Poplar Crescent, West Ewell, committed the violent acts between April 2024 and May 2025, repeatedly punching and verbally abusing the victim.
On 12th May 2025, Gaunt attacked the woman again, threatening to kill her and attempting to smother her.
The victim escaped and reported the incident, after which Gaunt was arrested the same day.
Following an investigation, Gaunt faced charges in December, appearing at Crawley Magistrates' Court on 10th December 2025.
He was charged with multiple offences including five counts of assault, one of intentional suffocation, and one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Gaunt pleaded guilty to all charges and was bailed until sentencing.
On 11th February at Lewes Crown Court, he received a three-year prison sentence and a 10-year restraining order.
PC Tobie Whitten, the officer leading the investigation, said:
"Ashley​​ Gaunt​​ left​​ the​​ victim​​ in​​ fear​​ of​​ the​​ nights,​​ as​​ that​​ is​​ when​​ she​​ felt​​ she​​ would​​ suffer​​ most.​​ The​​ victim​​ bravely​​ came​​ forward​​ and​​ reported​​ the​​ violence​​ and​​ abuse​​ she​​ had​​ suffered​​ at​​ the​​ hands​​ of​​ Gaunt,​​ and​​ he​​ now​​ sits​​ behind​​ bars​​ after​​ admitting​​ to​​ what​​ he​​ did​​. "Women​​ and​​ girls​​ should​​ never​​ fall​​ victim​​ to​​ physical,​​ emotional​​ or​​ psychological​​ harm.​​ We​​ must​​ continue​​ to​​ strive​​ for​​ change,​​ and​​ ensure​​ men​​ who​​ feel​​ they​​ can​​ behave​​ in​​ such​​ a​​ way​​ are​​ held​​ accountable. "If​​ you​​ are​​ a​​ victim​​ of​​ domestic​​ violence,​​ the​​ police​​ are​​ there​​ to​​ help​​ and​​ to​​ take​​ action​​ against​​ those​​ responsible.​​ Reach​​ out, we​​ are​​ here​​ to​​ listen​​ and​​ we​​ will​​ take​​ you​​ seriously."