MMA fighter strangled pregnant girlfriend and informed her she’d ‘find yourself in morgue’
A MMA fighter strangled his pregnant girlfriend and kicked their pet, whereas making vile threats.
Karl Draper subjected his associate to a marketing campaign of horrific home abuse over the course of greater than two years, together with bodily assaults which left her “terrified she was going to lose her baby”. He chillingly even informed her that she would “end up in the morgue”.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that the 23-year-old had been with Rebecca Smith for round three years till their relationship got here to an finish in September 2023. She then informed the police that that she had been subjected to verbal and bodily abuse at his fingers all through their time collectively.
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Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, described how she had beforehand “made excuses for his behaviour” and “stayed with him because she loved him”, however “kept photographs and recordings” evidencing his quite a few assaults. The first such incident got here on April 15, 2021, when Draper kicked the pet that they had purchased only some days earlier in its aspect, inflicting the canine to “yelp in pain”.
He then grabbed Ms Smith by the throat earlier than punching a gap of their bed room door. She nonetheless “put it down to the fact that he had been smoking cannabis”, and the connection continued, studies the Liverpool Echo.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
On one other event, she confronted the defendant after receiving an image of him with one other lady and informed him that the connection was over. Ms Smith then acquired messages from Draper stating that he was “on top of the heights and was going to kill himself”, a reference to the Quarry Green Heights block of flats in Kirkby.
She was left “feeling emotionally blackmailed into resuming the relationship” consequently. Later, throughout one other argument on August 2 2021, he put his fingers round her throat once more and broke objects of jewelry earlier than “throwing shampoo all around the living room floor”.
And 10 days later, on August 12, Draper “lost his temper” and “threw property around the house and damaged other items”. By September 6 that 12 months, Ms Smith was “in the early stages of pregnancy”, however her boyfriend grew to become “seemingly jealous” after a pal informed him that she had been “talking to another man”.
This led him to imagine that the newborn was not his. And Draper responded by throttling her as soon as extra earlier than throwing her onto their mattress. After Ms Smith informed him that their relationship was over following an argument on February 6 2022, he grabbed her by the throat with each fingers and “pressed hard”. She was left “unable to breathe” because of the assault and “terrified she was going to lose the baby”.
On March 21 that 12 months, the couple’s son was born by caesarean part. But Draper was mentioned to have “not supported her with the care of their child”.
Ken Heckle, defending, informed the court docket that his consumer suffers from points together with despair, nervousness, ADHD and self hurt. He admitted partaking in controlling or coercive behaviour and 5 counts of assault occasioning precise bodily hurt. He was jailed for 2 years and handed a restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Smith for 5 years.
If you’ve got been affected by problems with home violence or coercive management you’ll be able to name Refuge’s 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline at no cost. The quantity is 0808 2000 247
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