He stabbed terrified woman in the leg, repeatedly drove at her and strangled her in horrifying incidents
A violent bully who stabbed and slashed his girlfriend’s thigh with a knife, leaving the tissue in her leg hanging out, has been branded a “master manipulator” and a “sociopath”. Heavy-drinking James Freeman used the knife to carve his initials into the woman’s leg and he seemed “pleased with himself” after causing the injuries.
He even expected her to kiss and cuddle him after the attack. During separate frightening incidents, he also repeatedly drove his car at her and suffocated her, Hull Crown Court heard.
Freeman, 27, of Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted causing grievous bodily harm between May 5 and 19 last year, assault causing actual bodily harm and intentional suffocation between December 1 and December 31, 2024 and assault on May 24 last year.
Hannah Turner, prosecuting, said that Freeman and the woman began a relationship in about September 2024 and she moved into his flat the following month. “The relationship was tumultuous, to say the least,” said Miss Turner.
In May last year, they were at home and Freeman was drinking vodka and had taken nearly a full strip of Codeine. He began cutting at the woman’s leg with a knife. “He made a cut to her right thigh and also carved his initials into her leg,” said Miss Turner.
“He made several cuts to her leg. She asked him to stop. He is described as seeming intent on continuing. He inserted the corner of the blade and stabbed her upper thigh.
“While the blade was in her thigh, he flicked it down, causing a deep incision. The last cut was particularly deep, approximately half an inch in length. She could see the fatty tissue from her leg hanging out.
“She describes seeing the defendant as seeming pleased with himself for the injury. She panicked and locked herself in the bathroom. He stood outside, asking what was wrong and told her to come out and kiss and cuddle him.
“He wasn’t happy that she didn’t want to kiss and cuddle him. She was panicking. He pinned her down to the sofa. She did not receive any immediate attention for this cut as he told her that it would look ‘suspicious’ if she did so.
“She did receive medical attention on May 26 following her and the defendant separating. However, she was told that, due to the delay in her seeking medical assistance, there was no possibility of them stitching the skin back together.
“She was told this would leave a nasty scar to her leg.” In another incident, the couple had been out to Spiders nightclub in Hull. They left and she suggested that they get a taxi home but he went to get into his car.
She told him “No” but he reversed the car towards her and she feared that she was going to be hit by it. “She moved out of the way and he again pulled forward, nearly hitting her,” said Miss Turner.
“All the while, he was shouting abuse towards her.” The woman’s grandfather contacted the police after the incident.
In an earlier incident in December 2024, the pair had been drinking. Freeman got up and pinned her to the sofa where she was sitting. “He pinned her arms and legs and sat on her lap,” said Miss Turner.
“He did this for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. At this time, he was around 24 or 25 stone in weight and the victim was struggling to breathe. The following day, he apologised to the victim.
“However, she was of the view that she needed to go back home. However, he continuously messaged and apologised to her – so she went back to him.”
On another occasion, Freeman put a cigarette out on her right hand and on her leg. “He held the cigarette on her skin for about 10 seconds,” said Miss Turner. “She described this as incredibly painful.
“She tried to move away. However, he would not release his grip on her hand. He appeared to find this funny. Once he was sober, she spoke with him about this. He told her: ‘This is the dark side of James you don’t want to see’.”
David Godfrey, mitigating, said that Freeman fully appreciated that his behaviour was out of order and he appreciated that he had issues. He realised that his problems really affected the victim and that he had involved her in his problems.
He was really sorry for his actions. Being remanded in custody had really changed Freeman and he wanted to get back to his university studies. He had no previous convictions.
Freeman was jailed for two years and he was given a five-year restraining order.
After the hearing, the woman’s grandfather, 68, told Hull Live: “He is a self-confessed sociopath. He has told me that. His behaviour isn’t acceptable towards young women.
“We see it on all the news media about misogyny and bullying towards women. It’s becoming a bit of an epidemic. He said to my granddaughter: ‘Do you want to see how a real sociopath behaves?’,” he claimed.
“She was absolutely terrified. This guy was massive. He has got no empathy and understanding. It’s absolutely heartbreaking for me as her grandad to see the decline she was on because of worry and fear.”
The grandfather claimed: “She was easily led by this guy because he baffled her with bulls***. Everything he ever said was a lie. He is an absolute lunatic.
“I guarantee that he will be in the paper again. He will do it again. As I enjoy pizza, he enjoys doing what he does. He is a master manipulator. He really is. He could sing the birds out of the trees.”