A man from Wilton has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years imprisonment for assaulting a former partner.

Jason Thorne, 34, of The Avenue, Wilton appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Tuesday, March 26 after pleading guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm and threats to kill.

In March 2018, Thorne hit his victim so hard he knocked out a tooth. Later, in December 2022, he put a plastic bag over his victim's head and threatened to kill her.

As she tried to escape, he punched and kicked her and pulled a large chunk of hair out causing bruising.

Thorne was sentenced to 43 months in prison for threats to kill, three years (reduced by 10 per cent) for assault, and another three years (reduced by 10 per cent) for assault, both to run concurrently. He will remain on license for a further four years and was given a seven-year restraining order.

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In a statement read out in court his victim said: "I used to be a happy outgoing person but now I am anxious a lot of the time I overthink everything and I miss being how I was before all of this began."

Local Crime Investigator Joe Cantillon said: “Jason Thorne behaved terribly towards this woman over many years, repeatedly assaulting her with the most serious offences knocking out a tooth and putting a plastic bag over her head.

“The repeated assaults and outbursts eventually led her to feel his aggression and violence was somehow ‘normal’.

“Regular verbal and physical abuse from someone who claims to love you is not normal. The courage it took for her to end the relationship and come forward to report what he had put her through should not be underestimated, and I am grateful for her support throughout our investigation.

“I very much hope that Thorne’s eventual guilty plea and sentence provide her with some comfort and confidence as she continues to build a happier future away from him."

This report has been released with the support of the victim-survivor.