An abusive boyfriend who called himself “Bent Eyes” was convicted yesterday after he beat his partner and threatened to slit her throat during a “campaign of domestic violence” against her.
Former butcher Michael Maher, 31, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, spat in the face of his ex-girlfriend Chelsea Gray, bit her finger and dragged her to the ground by her hair during an attack.
On another occasion, he told the mother, 33, to say “goodbye” to her children because he was going to kill her.
Miss Gray eventually fled her house to escape his violence, but he broke into the premises and smashed her TV.
A court heard he then called her and boasted that he was trampling precious family photos of the youths she had left behind. He was later arrested.
Abusive boyfriend Michael Maher, 31, was jailed yesterday at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, for waging a ‘campaign of domestic violence’ against his ex-girlfriend Chelsea Gray
In a statement, Ms Gray from Hyde, Greater Manchester said: ‘His behavior has messed up my mental health and it affects me on a daily basis. I’m terrified of him and feel overwhelmed by what happened.’
At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, the father was sentenced to 40 months in prison after admitting assault, harassment, burglary, criminal damage and sending malicious communications.
Maher’s ex-girlfriend Chelsea Gray, 33, said the abuse ‘suffers her daily’
His innocent plea to a charge of coercive conduct was accepted by the prosecution.
At the time of his crime, he was serving community service and had a history of domestic violence against a previous partner.
The court heard how Maher and Miss Gray had started their relationship in May 2021, but it deteriorated over claims that he was in control.
The John Kennerley accuser said: ‘On 8 February last year, the defendant came to Miss Gray’s house after drinking, became abusive to her and she burst into tears.
He spat at her as she sat on the couch, pulled her hair to the floor and kicked her leg. He also pulled on her shirt tearing it and leaving stains around her neck and he also bit her little finger.
“An emergency call was made, but the defendant ran off when he heard police sirens on the way. Miss Gray decided to leave the address and move because she was concerned about his violence, but the next day she received an abusive phone call from the defendant.
He called her a “s**g”. On another phone call, he said, “I’m going to slit your throat. Say goodbye to your children – you won’t see them again.”
Maher, who called himself ‘Bent Eyes’, was jailed for 40 months for domestic violence, including sexual assault, harassment and malicious communication
Maher (pictured), who hails from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, had a history of domestic violence, including beating a previous partner
He then called her again and said she had come over to be her home and smashed a window and grabbed the TV and was in the pictures of her kids.
“It appears that the defendant had used a brick to smash the bedroom window on the ground floor and destroyed several items in the house and pillows. He later contacted her again and said he would slit her throat and sent her messages saying she was a “child killer” and adding, “Hope you die.”
Maher initially denied wrongdoing. The court heard that he had also threatened to “mistreat” a close friend of Miss Gray’s who tried to help her.
Maher had 76 previous offenses on his record, including a violation in 2019 of a non-molestation order and in 2021 for common assault against another ex-girlfriend and for damages after throwing a rock through her window.
In September 2021, he received community service for theft and fraud.
The father, 31, was jailed yesterday at Minshull Street Crown Court for common assault, harassment, burglary, criminal damage and sending malicious communications. His innocent plea to a charge of coercive conduct was accepted by the prosecution.
In mitigation, attorney Joshua Bowker said: “He accepts that his behavior was unacceptable and that he should have behaved in a completely different way. He accepts that the relationship is over.”
But at Maher’s sentencing, Judge Bernadette Baxter told him, “This was a campaign of domestic violence against your then-partner. You assaulted her, spat at her, pulled her off the couch by her hair, kicked her and ripped her clothes, and bit her little finger.
“This was a brutal attack that is serious enough in itself, but you kept calling her and threatening her with terrible violence.
“She had to leave her house, but then you deliberately targeted it so you could damage things that were dear to her.
“I do not accept that you are genuinely sorry for all this, because your past behavior illustrates that this is what you are doing. You failed to correct your behavior.’
Maher was also subject to a restraining order that banned him from contacting Miss Gray for ten years.