He had a long history of violence and had previously been jailed for offences including threats to kill, assault causing actual bodily harm, assault and assaulting police
Sean Simmons has been jailed(Image: Humberside Police)
A jealous bully with a long history of violence sent a series of “aggressive” and menacing voicemail messages to his terrified girlfriend – repeatedly threatening to kill her and warning that he would slit her throat with a knife. Obsessed and bad-tempered Sean Simmons insisted on checking the woman’s social media posts and became enraged if he spotted something that he did not like, Hull Crown Court heard.
Simmons, 36, of De Grey Street, off Beverley Road, Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted using controlling and coercive behaviour towards the woman between November 28 and January 26. He also admitted assaulting her on January 10 and causing criminal damage to her Ford Focus car on March 3.
Michael Masson, prosecuting, said that Simmons and the woman began a relationship while he was in prison serving a lengthy sentence for other domestic-related offences, not committed against her. He was released in November and the on-off relationship became more volatile.
Simmons discovered that the woman had been seeing someone else while he was in prison, the court heard. “It led to numerous arguments,” said Mr Masson. Simmons expected to be able to go through her social media messages. On January 10, he discovered photographs of her with a female friend.
He dragged her out of bed, causing bruising, and punched the wall next to her. On January 19, he sent aggressive voicemail messages, repeatedly threatening to kill her and to get a knife and slit her throat.
The woman left her home. “She was afraid that the threats could be real,” said Mr Masson. On January 26, Simmons again went through her social media posts and found messages from 2024 about another man.
“She told him that the relationship was over but, unfortunately, the defendant proceeded to get abusive,” said Mr Masson. Simmons made abusive telephone calls and sent messages saying that he would “burn it all to the ground”.
The next day, he made threats to come to the woman’s house and “end her life”. He left a voice message pretending to be a detective constable.
Simmons sent a series of messages threatening to come to the place where the woman worked. He did so on January 27. On March 23, he arrived at her home in a taxi as she was about to leave in her car.
Simmons smashed her car window and grabbed her mobile phone. He ran off but later returned and posted the phone through the letterbox.
On March 31, he was found at her home, throwing stones at her window. He was arrested after a chase involving a police dog.
Simmons had convictions for 21 previous offences, 10 of those involving assaults. He had been jailed for four-and-a-half years in November 2018 for offences including threats to kill, assault causing actual bodily harm, assault and assaulting police.
Claire Holmes, mitigating, said that the offences against the woman were persistent over a long period of time but they were committed “at a distance” and Simmons did not go to her home. “It’s all things that he has said to her,” said Miss Holmes.
“When he was released from his last sentence, he was hopeful that this would be a turning point in his life. He was hoping that he would be able to engage in a relationship that was positive for them both.
“He had signed up to a course called Strength To Change. He knows that he needs to change.” Simmons had been in custody for about five months from April 2.
Recorder Brian Whitehead told Simmons: “You started to check her social media and you got angry at the things you didn’t like.” He assaulted the woman and left voicemail messages threatening to kill her.
“The effect of all this is as you would expect really,” said Recorder Whitehead. “It’s had quite an impact. At the very least, it was persistent action over a prolonged period.”
Simmons was jailed for two years and three months. He was given a five-year restraining order.
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