The courts in Devon regularly convict men of violent behaviour against women. Earlier this week, Marc Jackson was sentenced for a prolonged attack on his partner in Newton Abbot.
The court heard that she was vulnerable and wanted to leave him. But she was also dependant on him and could not find a way out. The case highlighted the complex nature of many abusive relationships.
Many of the cases in this list have similar features. Alcohol plays a big part. Jealous, cruel and self-pitying behaviour also features.
Every year police receive more than a million calls reporting violence by a partner, an ex or family member. These crimes are classed in law as domestic violence. This is a list of men who have appeared and been convicted in Exeter in the past year.
A West Country man downed two litres of vodka and ran over his partner with his mobility scooter, a court has heard. Paul Pickering mowed down the woman outside her home in Teignmouth Road, Torquay.
Instead of stopping to help he drove off - leaving his partner of 20 years to hobble to the house and call 999 for help. She suffered a broken wrist and a broken foot in the incident.
Pickering has a history of violence within the relationship and appeared at Exeter Crown Court to be sentenced for causing grievous bodily harm. He was jailed for a year and seven months, reports Devon Live.
A jealous ex boyfriend has been jailed for terrorising his former partner during a campaign of harassment. Lee Ham relentlessly pestered the woman, turning up at her house without and invite, throwing pint glasses at her house, storming inside and even threatening a carpenter who happened to be there measuring the floor.
At the height of his harassment he was calling his distraught victim 200 times a day and ignoring her pleas to leave her alone. The 34-year-old from Torquay pleaded guilty to offences of criminal damage, harassment and ABH at Exeter Crown Court and was jailed for 88 weeks (about 20 months).
The judge said he had shown a flagrant disregard for court orders and a probation report said he posed a risk to women he was in a relationship with due to his inability to control his emotions.
A terrified woman ran for help in the Asda car park after being beaten and "treated like an unwanted animal" by her abusive boyfriend. Marc Jackson, 45, attacked his girlfriend in a flat in Newton Abbot - repeatedly punching and dragging her around the property during a frenzied assault.
When she screamed for help he snapped her phone and stopped her calling police. She eventually managed to break free and flagged down a passing motorist.
Jackson, of Thurlow Road, Torquay, has a history of domestic violence and the vulnerable woman had complained about his behaviour on six previous occasions, Exeter Crown Court was told. But he ignored a Domestic Violence Protection Order and continued the abuse.
She said in a statement she had been made to feel worthless by his psychological and physical violence over a period of time.
A wife has described the misery and fear she endured after the "charmer" she married turned out to be an arrogant and devious bully. Phillip Labrum, a former solicitor from South Devon, appeared to be perfect husband material when the pair were hitched in 2017, Exeter Crown Court was told.
But once the honeymoon period was over he became jealous and possessive. His behaviour included not allowing her to look and speak to other people, keeping her away from family and friends, accusing her of having affairs, calling her fat and making her feel guilty about having any hobbies or spending time away from him.
His excessive drinking also led to violence. The final straw came after he assaulted her while driving home to the South Hams from Newton Abbot. She managed to escape and is now free of his control, she told the court.
A semi-professional footballer was jailed for violent and controlling behaviour against his partner. Dominic Court, 24, was described as a "jealous and violent bully" who made his girlfriend's life a living hell.
During a campaign of aggressive behaviour he grabbed her around the throat, menaced, kicked, spat at, bombarded her with messages and told her he dreamed of beating her up. During one terrifying incident the victim considered jumping 20ft out of a window to escape his knife threats.
When police got involved he ignored an order to stay away and used emotional blackmail by crying and threatening to harm himself. Court, formerly of Exeter, has been jailed for two and a half years at Exeter Crown Court.
An alcoholic boyfriend who boasted about never hitting women battered his partner during a terrifying assault. Gavin English raged that he would break the woman's leg and rip out her eyes, a court heard.
At one stage, while the victim was calling her mother for help, he could be heard landing a blow as she pleaded with him to stop. The woman's ordeal only ended when police arrived several hours after the violence started.
English, who initially said the woman was lying and had fallen over when she was drunk, was spared jail after the judge was told he is a "changed man" since quitting drink.
A violent teenager from Torquay has been jailed for brutally assaulting his partner. Bradley Darke beat up the woman during a sustained assault in April last year.
He was aggressive and threatening during the relationship and "found pleasure in being violent", a court heard. The 19-year-old was jailed for two and a half years.
His abusive and cruel behaviour started soon after the pair got together. In January of 2023 he prevented the woman from leaving his flat, carrying her back inside, punching the wall, shouting and pushing her over, said prosecutor Mr Nigel Wraith.
A stalker sent his ex partner menacing videos of a knife and somebody cocking a rifle during a nasty campaign of threats, a court heard. The victim was so terrified that John Dunbar might kill her that she was put into emergency accommodation and had to move home.
Dunbar, a 30-year-old of Winner Street, Paignton, was jailed for three years at Exeter Crown Court. He sent a serious of threats to the woman, and also to some of her friends, during a month of bizarre and scary behaviour.
One video showed a hand holding a large knife while a voice made threats about "putting you in a boot". A second video showed a gloved hand sliding the bolt of a sawn-off rifle. Menacing messages also threatened the woman unless she changed her behaviour.
A nightmare boyfriend hit his partner on the knees with a hammer and embarked on an obsessive stalking campaign when she ended the relationship. Christopher Goodman started crying and apologising after violently assaulting his teenage girlfriend, a court heard.
The pair remained in a toxic relationship for several years but when she finally ended it he would not let her move on. He repeatedly sent her messages, turned up at her address, kicked her door, followed her in his van, and made threats about stabbing.
After tracking her down to a Travelodge he sent her a chilling message saying: "I can do this for days. Can you keep on hiding is the question."
A thug boyfriend has been jailed for punching his girlfriend during a drunken rage. Luke Henderson, 25, left his partner with a black eye and vomiting blood after an assault at her flat in Exeter.
A neighbour called 999 after hearing the pair shouting and finding Henderson at the address. He fled to a hotel and was arrested by police.
He said he was ashamed of himself. His victim, who did not support the prosecution, was at Exeter Crown Court to support him through a sentencing hearing at which he was jailed for 18 weeks.
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