Jealous ex-soldier from Blackpool strangled girlfriend, ripped door off hinges, and threatened suicide

A jealous ex-soldier who made his girlfriend’s life a nightmare with his controlling behaviour has been sent to prison by a judge.

Jase Dawe’s paranoid conduct left his terrified partner feeling physically and mentally tortured during their year-long relationship. In the end she called in the police and the violent 29-year-old former squaddie was arrested and charged with a string of offences including intentional strangulation, coercive control, criminal damage and three counts of common assault.

Dawe, from Blackpool, was found guilty of six out of nine charges by magistrates in Blackburn after a trial in July. This week he appeared before a judge at Preston Crown Court for sentence and was jailed for three years and nine months.

The court heard that Dawe, of Galloway Road, Fleetwood, had started seeing the woman early last year and at first she described the relationship as “love bombs”. But soon Dawe became “angry, paranoid and jealous” and continually questioned her and accused her of having affairs with other men.

When she fell pregnant with his child – which she sadly lost - he claimed it was someone else’s baby.

Prosecuting barrister Caitlin McLachlan said she tried to explain to him that his behaviour was not normal, but he reacted violently, pouring vodka over her clothes. In May they went on holiday to Wales where he accused her of cheating on him and claimed she had a “burner” phone to keep her alleged lover secret. He then punched her in the face causing a black eye.

In June they moved into a new property and after another big argument over his continuing suspicions he threw a kettle at the fridge causing a dent. When she ran upstairs he grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her back down causing bruising to her legs. He then locked her and her four-year-old son in the property and went off with the keys.

On another occasion the couple had a row which led the woman to run out of the house into the back garden. But Dawe followed her out and tried to strangle her with a black dustbin bag. She had difficulty breathing before he loosened his grip. And when she recovered she went into the house, locked herself in the bedroom and started to pack up her belongings.

Dawe reacted by ripping the door of its hinges.

In July after yet another argument he told her he was going to the beach to kill himself, telling her she didn’t appreciate anything he did. Another row meant the woman’s four-year-old boy had to miss his first day at school. Dawe told his partner he “didn’t feel love” from her. Several times after that he continued to threaten to take his own life.

In October the woman said her friends had all said she was a fool for having begun a relationship with him. Eventually he was arrested, but when interviewed by police he denied having committed any offence.

In a victim impact statement, read out to the court, she said Dawe’s behaviour throughout their 12-month relationship had had “such an impact on my life”. She said it had affected her physically, emotionally and socially. “This was only one year long yet it changed my life dramatically” she said.

Dawe had punched, kicked, threatened and intimidated her and was constantly monitoring what she was doing and checking where she was. He constantly accused her of being unfaithful and she felt like she was “constantly stepping on eggshells”. She added: “I couldn’t even say ‘good morning’ to my dog without being accused of talking to another man.”

The toxic relationship had, she said, also had an adverse impact on her son who was terrified during the constant rows. Dawe had caused her long-lasting emotional harm which had continued months after the relationship ended.

“I had a trauma bond with him,” she said. “His promises to change kept me emotionally attached (to him). The emotional abuse and threats of suicide made me feel it was my fault if he killed himself.

“Before the relationship I was calm, patient and loving. But afterwards I changed. It was a survival response after that. Even though the relationship has ended the effect has not. I am constantly on edge.”

She added she had lost three stones in weight during her year with Dawe “making me look so skinny”. She said she had lost her job as a health care assistant because “the trauma completely overwhelmed my ability to function”. Her hopes of qualifying as a mental health nurse had been dashed.

“It was easier not to work than put up with that physical abuse every day. The abuse has affected by identity. I may never fully recover from it. But I have managed to break free from him.”

Ms McLachlan told the court that Dawe had two previous court appearances for similar offences – one in 2023 for stalking and battery against another woman for which he was given a suspended prison sentence.

Defence barrister Claire Larton said at the time of these offences her client had been grieving after losing his father, his uncle and a family friend. “That’s not an excuse,” she said. “But it perhaps provides some explanation into the lack of emotional stability (he was suffering).”

There had been unaddressed issues after he left the Army which resulted in him turning to alcohol. But he had now been sober since Christmas and was working as a crane operator in Scotland. “He is ashamed and embarrassed,” she added. “The victim impact statement is an emotionally powerful document.”

She said that since he stopped drinking and got himself a full-time job he had had a “proper opportunity to address his offending behaviour”. Ms Larton urged the judge to pass a suspended prison sentence because Dawe had a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.

Judge Kirsty-Ann Gunn told Dawe that what should have been a loving domestic relationship had been destroyed by his jealous and possessive behaviour. Throughout the relationship the victim was “constantly having to account for herself”.

“The impact on her has been profound. She speaks of living in constant fear. What would have been a promising future career has been disrupted so far by your behaviour.”

Judge Gunn described the attempted strangulation with the bin bag as “a terrifying assault”.

Grouping all six charges together – intentional strangulation, controlling/coercive behaviour, three of common assault and criminal damage to the bedroom door - she sentenced Dawe to a total of 45 months in prison.

She issued an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim from any contact with Dawe in the future. And she also ordered him to pay compensation of £1,000 to the woman when he is eventually released from prison.