Yahoo News Terrified Devon kidnap victim jumped from moving van to escape
A terrified woman jumped out of a moving van after her boyfriend assaulted and kidnapped her during a jealous rage. Thomas Matthew, aged 33, from Exmouth, was livid that his girlfriend of 18 months was out drinking with friends after watching the rugby on TV, a court heard.
When she didn't answer the phone he threw a breeze block through her window, stormed into the house and damaged photos of her children. After tracking her down he punched a stranger he saw talking to her and marched her out of the pub.
She got away after jumping out of his van. Members of the public who heard her shouting for help called the police and Matthew was arrested.
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A judge at Exeter Crown Court said he was the type of man who became violent when he got drunk. The victim said in a statement she feared for her life.
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He admitted offences of assault, ABH, burglary and kidnap but was spared a prison sentence. The defendant, a carpenter of Halsdon Road, had already spent seven and a half months in custody waiting for the case to be dealt with.
He was banned from going anywhere near the victim for 10 years and told to pay her £2,000 compensation.
The incident happened in October of last year. Prosecutor Mr Paul Grumbar said the defendant was ringing the woman constantly through the evening and trying to find her.
He broke into her house and "went up to her bedroom and damaged photos of her children," he said. When he found her at the pub she happened to be talking to a stranger who felt a "terrific blow" to his head that knocked him to the ground.
"He grabbed her and marched her out of the pub," said Mr Grumbar. CCTV showed him pulling the woman by the hair, manhandling her as she fell to the ground, putting her in a headlock and hitting her in the face, causing a split lip.
Members of the public could hear her saying she did not want to get into Matthew's van and saying "help me". He opened his van door, lifted her over his shoulders and bundled her into the vehicle before closing the door.
After about 20 yards she jumped out of the passenger side and was helped by passing members of the public.
In a victim statement she said: "To say I'm scared of him is an understatement. I'm absolutely petrified of him. If I did not get out I believe he would have killed me."
She has been traumatised by the incident and no longer feels safe on her own.
Matthew had a number of previous convictions for violence. Mr Grumbar said they usually involved him punching people over trivial incidents. There were allegations of domestic violence in the background against the same victim that have not been proceeded with.
Mr Simon Burns, defending, said Matthew punched the man because he assumed he was chatting his girlfriend up. He is very sorry and has been making good progress while in custody. He does not accept ripping up photos at the woman's house.
He had wanted to take his partner home because she had been drinking late at night and had given her a fireman's lift into the van and did not lock her in. It was turbulent relationship and they pair were not suited. The judge read letters about his positive character from a number of family and friends.
Judge Stephen Climie said: "When you have too much to drink you get violent. You fall into that category of a certain percentage of men. That means while you continue to drink you shouldn't be in a relationship because you'll end up beating your partner.
"We see it in court week in, week out. We see those who beat up partners and try to justify it because of mental health and they've been drinking and people have to go to prison."
He said Matthew had already been to prison and probation thought he could turn his life around. He was given a three-year community order with 200 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days and alcohol abstinence monitoring.
He must also pay the male assault victim £100 compensation.
