Emotions were “running high” when a jealous bully strangled his girlfriend, leaving her slumped unconscious on the floor, after becoming obsessed by the idea that she was cheating on him.
Ronan Haller’s violent behaviour had a serious effect on the woman and he has now been warned at Hull Crown Court that he faces being jailed if he puts her “safety and security” under further threat. He could not behave violently towards women and he was warned: “It has to stop.”
Haller, 26, of west Hull, admitted breaching a two-year restraining order imposed on November 21, 2023. The order was made after he admitted intentional strangulation of the woman on February 26, 2023, assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm, on April 23 of that year and again assaulting her on April 25, 2023.
Tonicha Allen, prosecuting, told an earlier hearing that Haller made a series of telephone calls to his ex-girlfriend on November 18 last year after she began dating a new boyfriend. While she was speaking to the police, he sent her an email saying: “I’m broken and I don’t know why you’re treating me like this. I can’t cope any more.”
The original offences happened when Haller and the woman had, at the time, been in a relationship for about six years. He started becoming abusive.
There was an argument and Haller accused his girlfriend of having an affair. He grabbed hold of her neck and strangled her. She passed out on the kitchen floor. Her ears were ringing when she woke up. There was a large lump on the back of her head from falling.
She felt scared. Haller was crying and he was trying to wake her up. He told her that he was sorry. On a second occasion, Haller woke up and started accusing his girlfriend of having an affair.
She was scared and did not say anything but he kept calling her names such as “sl*g”. He picked up items and threw them at her. He picked up a large candle in the shape of a skull and threw it across the room. It hit the girlfriend and caused bruises to her back and arm. Haller kicked her and bit her foot.
In a third incident, Haller told the woman to admit having an affair. He kicked her on her arm. She was crying and asking him to stop.
At the original hearing in November 2023, Haller had been given a two-year suspended prison sentence, a 33-day Building Better Relationships programme, eight days’ rehabilitation and a two-year restraining order.
Sentence had been deferred on March 21 this year so that Haller could prove that he could keep out of trouble. At a resumed hearing, Holly Thompson, mitigating, said that Haller had not committed any further offences. “He now has more stability,” said Miss Thompson.
He was working full-time as a bricklayer, travelling around the country but most recently in Scarborough, York, Selby and Leeds. “That keeps him out of trouble,” said Miss Thompson. “His mother has kept him on a tight leash.”
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Recorder Caroline Sellars told Haller that the impact of his behaviour on his ex-girlfriend, including the making of calls and the sending of emails, had been “cumulative” and would have brought everything back to her. “You can’t under-estimate the effect of your previous behaviour on her,” said Recorder Sellars.
The woman’s “safety and security” would have been under threat. “Emotions must have been running high,” said Recorder Sellars. “It doesn’t excuse you at all. You can’t behave violently towards women.
“The courts see too much. There are too many reports in the media of men behaving violently towards women and girls and it has to stop.”
Haller was given an eight-week suspended prison sentence, a probation service Building Choices programme and six days’ rehabilitation. He was also fined £150.
Recorder Sellars warned Haller that he faced being jailed if he breached the order. “I will send you to prison,” she said. “That is my promise to you. Genuinely, do not let me see you again.”