An enraged boyfriend viciously attacked his terrified partner after she accidentally discovered a telltale USB stick containing explicit naked pictures of him romping with another woman.
Fired-up and aggressive Aaron Morris was desperate to get the explosive and incriminating picture storage card back and he launched a “prolonged physical attack” on her, including grabbing her by the neck, throwing her to the floor and strangling her. He had a “look of insanity” on his face and he threw the woman around the bedroom “like a rag doll”. He tore her clothes and ripped out her hair extensions during the frightening scenes of violence, Hull Crown Court heard.
Morris, 33, of Acacia Drive, Willerby, admitted assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, and two offences of fraud. He originally denied the offences but he pleaded guilty on the day of a scheduled trial.
Michael Forrest, prosecuting, said that the woman was with Morris for about 11 years in total and, although there were difficulties, the relationship was mostly fine. One day, she received a letter in her name and she opened it.
It concerned an outstanding balance of £50 on a loan of £250 that had been taken out in her name on August 27, 2022. Morris accepted that he took out the loan in her name.
The woman was at home on March 10, 2023 when Morris came home from the pub. “She knew that something was not right,” said Mr Forrest. “She suspected him of taking drugs.”
She was later about to wake him when she noticed that a USB stick had fallen out of his pocket. It was full of explicit naked pictures of him and another woman. “She went up to wake him,” says Mr Forrest.
Morris launched into a “prolonged physical attack on her” in a bid to get the USB stick back. He grabbed her by her throat, threw her to the floor and squeezed her throat. He bit her on her left cheek for a number of seconds, forced his fingers into her mouth and pulled it.
There was a “look of insanity on his face” and the woman’s screams could be heard by neighbours. Morris threw the woman around the bedroom “like a rag doll” and her clothes were torn. Her hair extensions were ripped out and he pulled a necklace from her neck. He strangled her for about 10 seconds.
The USB stick was no longer there and he began a frantic search for it until he found it. “She collapsed in hysterics,” said Mr Forrest. Morris left the house but he was spotted by neighbours, who overheard the screaming and shouting.
The woman was screaming on the floor while asking for help. “She was crying hysterically,” said Mr Forrest. She later said that she was relieved that she could finally say goodbye to that part of her life. All she had wanted from Morris was some accountability but she had never got that.
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“The stress and anxiety that he put me through is unforgivable,” she said. It had a “massive knock-on effect” on all aspects of her life and she struggled trusting people. Morris has left her in a financial mess.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that references for Morris showed how out of character the behaviour was for him. He had no previous convictions. “This is behaviour that has shocked everybody that knows the defendant,” said Miss Scott.
“This was a relationship that was very much on and off. They were married for a very short period before breaking up again. It was a very toxic environment.”
Morris had suffered a lot of embarrassment over what he had done and the intimate pictures that were on the USB stick. “What he has done has been put all over the internet and all over Facebook,” said Miss Scott. The woman went to his workplace, announced that Morris had been cheating and dumped his clothes, claimed Miss Scott.
Morris left his job and it took him a year to find another job. “He has got himself new employment,” said Miss Scott. “He is in a new relationship. He simply wants to put this behind him and apologises profusely.”
Judge John Thackray KC told Morris: “It’s clear that your offending has had a profound effect upon your victim. She must have, at the time, been literally terrified. Ultimately, only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence for domestic violence of this seriousness.”
Morris, on bail and formerly of White Horse Lane, Ottringham, was jailed for 16 months. He was given a five-year restraining order.