He had made the young woman’s life a ‘misery’
A controlling bully who made his young girlfriend’s life a “misery” – causing her to “change her behaviour” and stop wearing makeup and certain clothes – breached a restraining order shortly after it was made. It was a “deliberate” breach and could easily have landed him in prison only months after he was given a chance, Hull Crown Court heard.
Liam McKenzie, 42, of Bacheler Street, west Hull, admitted breaching a 10-year restraining order on October 12. It had been made on August 13 after he admitted using controlling and coercive behaviour between June 1, 2022 and January 8 this year as well as causing criminal damage on January 5.
Amber Hobson, prosecuting, said that police were alerted to an ongoing incident after the woman called the police. McKenzie was with her in the house in breach of the terms of the restraining order.
During police interview, he made no comment to all questions. “It was clearly a deliberate breach,” said Miss Hobson. McKenzie had convictions for 46 previous offences, including theft.
He was in breach of the two-year suspended prison sentence, with 26 sessions of a probation service domestic abuse programme and 20 days’ rehabilitation, that had been imposed in August. Breaching the restraining order put him in breach of that.
Hannah Turner, mitigating, said that McKenzie had, despite the breach, made great progress while the court order had been in place. He was currently living with his brother in Peterborough.
“He has moved out of the area to remove himself from negative influences and temptation,” said Miss Turner. He had taken steps to work on his problems.
Judge John Thackray KC told McKenzie: “I gave you a chance in August. You could easily have received a custodial sentence today. Within a short time, you breached the restraining order.”
Sentence was deferred until May 18 for McKenzie to prove that he can keep to the terms of the court order. “Keep out of trouble,” said Judge Thackray. The restraining order will continue.
At the original hearing in August, the court was told that McKenzie – previously known as Stephen Hardy – and the woman began talking on Facebook in May and June 2022 and they formed a relationship. McKenzie later moved into her flat and started working at a gym.
He told her to come to the gym with him but he accused a male colleague of flirting with her and “locking eyes” with her. He also kept video calling her and questioning her about whether she had somebody in the flat.
He accused her of looking at people from the flat even though nobody was there. McKenzie asked her “why she was getting done up for work” and who she was working with. She felt she had to change her behaviour.
She stopped applying makeup and stopped wearing certain clothes to appease him. McKenzie accused her of looking at people in another flat and having an affair with another person at the gym.
He told her: “I am leaving you. You have been sleeping with other people. I have seen you.” His controlling behaviour continued. She began to record incidents on her phone. Arguments continued. He accused her of cheating. She woke up and found that McKenzie was going through her phone. He would scream and shout.
McKenzie threw objects around the flat and he would “kick off” if she went with her friends. The relationship continued until January 5 this year when she left him. A couple of days later, he damaged equipment that she had bought for her beauty business.