Ben Matthews, then aged 26, of Lyd Close, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, was sentenced to four years and ten months’ imprisonment at Worcester Crown Court after being convicted of a terrifying 18-month campaign of coercive control, strangulation, and violent threats against a female victim.
The prosecution arose from a comprehensive investigation conducted by West Mercia Police into sustained domestic abuse in which Matthews used extreme intimidation, physical violence, and emotional manipulation to strip the victim of her autonomy.
The court was told that during one incident, Matthews placed a large kitchen knife directly against the victim’s throat, laughing aloud as she desperately pleaded with him to stop.
In another violent confrontation, Matthews brandished what the victim believed to be a genuine firearm.
He pinned a pillow over her face, aimed the weapon directly at her mouth, and demanded that she open it.
The abuse escalated when Matthews threatened to beat the victim unless she agreed to terminate a pregnancy.
Following a physical assault carried out by Matthews, the victim suffered a miscarriage as a direct consequence of the violence.
Matthews routinely issued graphic death threats, warning the woman that he would slit her throat and cave her skull in.
He also threatened to push materials through her former partner’s letterbox to set the premises ablaze.
In further depraved commentary, Matthews told the victim that if she were to die unexpectedly or suffer a fatal accident, he would sexually abuse her body before notifying emergency services.
Matthews entered guilty pleas to threatening to kill and criminal damage, but contested other allegations, subsequently being found guilty following a Crown Court trial of:
- Controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship
- Intentional strangulation
Investigating officer Detective Constable Amy Cook commended the victim for demonstrating exceptional courage throughout the trial process.
DC Cook emphasized the devastating impact of coercive control and highlighted the importance of Clare’s Law in allowing individuals to access information concerning a partner’s previous abusive history.
On Friday, 4 September, the presiding judge sentenced Matthews to an immediate custodial sentence of four years and ten months (58 months).
Release Calculation: Under UK sentencing legislation governing standard determinate custodial sentences, Matthews is required to serve one-half (29 months / two years and five months) of his 58-month sentence in prison custody before becoming eligible for automatic statutory release on licence. Upon release, Matthews will remain subject to licence conditions and supervision by the Probation Service in the community until the expiration of the full term.
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