Hull Crown Court heard he knew that the anabolic steroids made him aggressive and were ‘likely to aggravate his loss of control’
An aggressive bodybuilder had been taking illegal anabolic steroids before he suddenly turned nasty towards his terrified girlfriend and started to suffocate her – narrowly avoiding it becoming a “murder”. She was left struggling to breathe and unable to shout and he could easily have killed her during the frightening and potentially “catastrophic” incident.
On a later occasion, he was “driving like crazy” during a bad-tempered argument while they were out for a drive in a van and he slammed the passenger door shut, trapping her foot while he drove off at speed, Hull Crown Court heard. Michael Dann, 40, of Park Avenue, west Hull, denied offences of intentional suffocation between March 31 and April 15, 2023 and assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, on May 3, 2023 but he was convicted after a trial before a district judge at Hull Magistrates’ Court on August 26.
Judge Richard Woolfall told a sentencing hearing that Dann and the woman spent the night together and she later asked him an “innocent” question about arrangements involving his son. In response, Dann “dived on top of her” and pushed down on her chest, causing her to suffocate.
“She was unable to breathe or shout,” said Judge Woolfall. “You only stopped when your nose began to bleed. You blamed her for that.
“It only takes a little bit more pressure than somebody intends to apply for the effect or impact to sometimes be quite catastrophic. Many murder cases up and down the country are on that basis.”
An artery in the brain could burst or the heart could stop. “It’s a very serious offence,” said Judge Woolfall. “You then apologised the following day, saying you were on anabolic steroids. Being under the influence of illegal drugs is an aggravating feature.”
Dann was aware that anabolic steroids made him more aggressive. “You knew that it was likely to aggravate your loss of control,” said Judge Woolfall. “You knew what the issue was and you went on to commit another offence.”
The assault happened when Dann and the woman were out together in Cottingham and she was “no doubt” hoping that he would change. “You carried on taking steroids and when you were out for a drive, the pair of you were arguing about your relationship,” said Judge Woolfall.
Dann braked suddenly and told her that he was taking her home. He pulled into a layby and she panicked. He leaned over and slammed the door of the van shut, hitting her foot, and he began to drive at speed, with her foot still in the door.
He pulled her hair, pulling chunks of it out, and he told her: “I’ll make you bleed.” He hit her in her face, bursting her lip. “At traffic lights, she tried to leave the vehicle,” said Judge Woolfall.
Dann grabbed the woman in a headlock and kept her in the vehicle. He pulled her bag from around her neck. They both left the van and he told her: “F*** off and walk back home.”
She called a taxi and went to her sister-in-law’s home. “You apologised the next day,” said Judge Woolfall. “You are a big man. You are a strong man. Whether that is all down to steroids.
“This offence has had a considerable impact on her. You were driving like crazy. She believed that you were going to kill her and take her away from her children.
“You took steroids to feel better about yourself. Taking anabolic steroids is illegal. They are illegal for a good reason.”
It was a well-known fact that they made people aggressive. The woman later said that she thought during the second incident that she was never going to come back to her children. She still had sleeping problems and often woke up at night through reliving the incident in the van. Dann made no comment to all questions during two police interviews.
He had convictions for seven previous offences, including assault and criminal damage in March 2018 and assault in January 2019, all involving a previous partner. During one of those assaults, he pushed her over during a scuffle.
Ben Hammersley, mitigating, said that there was plainly a significant impact on the victim of the assault but the physical injury was relatively minor. “There was very late acceptance of these matters,” said Mr Hammersley. “Late in the day, there was a recognition of his behaviour and he has expressed remorse for the way he behaved. He realises that it was a toxic relationship and that there is absolutely no excuse for his behaviour.
“He is embarrassed and mortified. At the time, he had been taking anabolic steroids to help him in the gym. They are illegal. He has turned his life around. He is off anabolic steroids.”
Dann had kept out of trouble of any kind since the 2023 offences and he had been assessed by the probation service as a low risk of reconviction. He had been in a positive new relationship for six months and he had worked for a water company and then as a sub-contractor.
Dann, who had been on bail, was jailed for three years and he was given a seven-year restraining order. “Your offending is so serious against a partner, and against your record, that only an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate to deal with the offending,” said Judge Woolfall.