A manipulative abuser has been jailed for 32 months and given a 10-year restraining order after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour.
Mark Mellish, 36, from Stockport, also admitted to two assaults, strangulation and a barrage of texts and phone calls to check on his victim’s whereabouts while they were apart.
One of the assaults happened in a bar while they were on holiday in Fuerteventura a year after first meeting in 2021, in which coward Mellish kicked the woman in the back of the head and threw her mobile phone down the street.
This happened while she was facetiming her daughter.
Her daughters were present during the other attack in 2022, when he pushed the woman against a wall and slapped her, leaving her with a bruised back.
The children were also present in December 2023 when he choked the woman by grabbing her throat and tightening his grip for a few seconds before letting go.
Detective Constable Emily Beacroft from GMP’s Complex Safeguarding Team in Stockport said: “Firstly I want to thank the woman involved in this case for her courage and bravery in talking to us about the abuse she endured – her help has ensured a violent criminal is now behind bars and will hopefully protect any future victims.
“Mellish’s behaviour was utterly vile, attacking his victim on several occasions and exhibiting controlling and manipulative behaviour throughout the majority of the time he knew her.
“This sort of criminality is something we are absolutely dedicated to tackling and we will work with all appropriate partners to ensure these sorts of people are taken off the streets and their victims are safeguarded.
“If you ever have any problems relating to controlling behaviour or something similar – please do get in touch with us.
“We will do what we can to help you.”
Mellish was arrested and bailed in July 2024 and given strict conditions not to contact his victim. However, he pressured her to withdraw her statement and threatened to self-harm if she did not comply.
He even messaged repeatedly while she was attending a police appointment.
It led to him being remanded last October before pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour in April this year.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) say that there were 43,774 coercive control offences recorded by police in England and Wales in 2023 (excluding Devon and Cornwall), up from 41,626 the year before.
