He locked girlfriend in bedroom without food, drink, or toilet during four days of hell

Jason Power was jailed at Hull Crown Court
-Credit: (Image: Humberside Police)


A domineering and manipulative bully held his terrified girlfriend captive in her bedroom for four days without any food or drink, even denying her the use of the toilet.

Jason Power, who was described as spiteful and abusive, regularly subjected the woman to violence. Eventually, she became so scared of him that she escaped through a window in a desperate bid for freedom.

Even after being taken into custody, he persistently called her in a selfish and cynical attempt to pressure her into dropping the charges against him, Hull Crown Court was told.

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Power, 31, of 8th Avenue, north Hull, pleaded guilty to using controlling and coercive behaviour towards his girlfriend between January 1, 2022 and May 21 this year, as well as intimidating her as a witness on May 21 this year. Prosecutor Matthew Bean stated that Power and the woman began their relationship at the start of 2022, but he quickly became controlling and violent towards her.

Power would manipulate his girlfriend into believing his actions were for her own good. He forbade her from visiting the doctor, having friends over, and locked her inside the house, reports Hull Live.

In early May this year, he denied the woman the freedom to leave her bedroom for four days, including for bathroom breaks. "He would not allow her to eat or drink anything," Mr Bean revealed.

On May 21, the woman's son phoned to inform her of his release from police custody, but Power warned her that he would slit her son's throat if he returned. "Ultimately, he said that it was him or her son and so she told him to leave," Mr Bean narrated.

"He told her that she was a sl*t and a wh***."

Power unleashed a tirade of abuse, proclaiming she was undesired by anyone, and assaulted her twice, causing her to collide with a wardrobe, which resulted in scratches and bruises to her head. In a rage, he damaged a free-standing mirror by smashing it into a wall, leaving a hole.

Fearing further violence, the woman escaped from the bedroom to the kitchen. During the ordeal, Power confiscated her mobile phone and locked the doors, trapping her inside the house.

Driven by terror, she leapt out of a window and implored a neighbour to call the police, recounted Mr Bean. Eventually, she succeeded in flagging down a police vehicle, leading to Power's arrest.

As Power found himself on the street, he persisted in hurling insults at his girlfriend. "She didn't get her phone back," Mr Bean added, noting its value at roughly £1,000. While in custody, Power desperately called the woman thrice pleading for her to withdraw charges. "On each occasion, he asked her to drop the charges," said Mr Bean.

"He said that he didn't want to be away from her. He said that he was 'sh***ing himself' and was looking at five years in prison."

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Power, with a history of 13 prior convictions including those for violence and public disorder, entered guilty pleas to the charges. David Godfrey, in mitigation, spoke on the nature of Power's actions, stating, "This is unpleasant offending,".

"He understands and appreciates that the relationship is well and truly over. He wishes for the victim in this case to move on with her life."

Acknowledging his issues, Power has expressed a desire through his counsel to confront them: "He wishes for me to say sorry on his behalf," Mr Godfrey conveyed, and he recognises that, "He acknowledges that custody is inevitable. It is just a question of how long."

Deputy circuit judge Timothy Clayson detailed the abusive patterns inflicted by Power on the woman, which included regular violence and coercive behavior. "You effectively imprisoned her for four days and denied her food and drink," Judge Clayson declared.

"You smashed a burger into her face. There was further violence from time to time in the form of punching her and making threats of more serious violence towards her and, on one occasion, concerning her son."

The judge also recounted the insults and intimidation used by Power: "You repeatedly insulted her and scared her. You pushed her against a wardrobe, causing minor injuries to her head."

Even from custody, Power continued his manipulative attempts: "While in custody, you phoned her trying to get her to drop the charges against you. The impact on her has been described as substantial."

Ultimately, Power received a substantial sentence for his actions: two years and 10 months incarceration along with a 10-year restraining order.