Shepherd's Bush Man Found Guilty of Coercive Control
His victim tells how he caused her to lose faith and trust in others
Harry England took over every aspect of his victim's life. Picture: Facebook
May 22, 2023
The victim of a man from Shepherd’s Bush who exercised control over every aspect of her life during their relationship has spoken out about the impact his behaviour had on him.
She met 22-year-old Harry England of Richford Street when she came to London in her late teens.
During their time together he controlled all aspects of her life and continued to do so after the relationship was over.
He sought to undermine her by his constant questioning and snide comments and would instigate arguments to make her feel worthless. To keep the peace, she avoided her friends and the fun they were having.
He would criticise her behaviour, looks, friends and family. He would dictate what she wore and frequently told her she was ‘fat’, even though at one point she was less than six stone. This resulted in her becoming a closed and insular person.
England knew her college timetable and would turn up from time to time, shouting and behaving in an aggressive manner which resulted her ceasing to attend her classes.
He would also edit what she wrote on her texts, always looking over her shoulder.
After a few months, the victim ended the relationship with England and told her not to contact her. Despite this on one day alone she had over 60 calls from him. When she blocked his number and his accounts on social media he set up fake accounts to try to make contact with her and even ended up standing outside home, sending her unwanted gifts.
A couple of months after the relationship had ended, England contacted police via 999 stating he was concerned for her welfare. When the police came to check on her, she opened up to them about England’s behaviour.
As a result of further investigations by Detectives from the Central West Basic Command Unit, England was sentenced to a six-month, suspended sentence on Thursday, 18 May, at Isleworth Crown Court after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour.
England had been tried on charges of two counts of rape, attempted rape and stalking involving fear of violence but was found not guilty of these charges in February. He had pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to controlling and coercive behaviour.
His victim decided to give an account to the court of her experiences during the relationship and the impact it had on her.
She said, “Meeting Harry England is the one thing I regret about moving to London. I came here, full of hope and excited about my future. I wanted to make friends and have fun. I came to London to work and experience life, make a career in something I have wanted to do since I was 12-years old.
“When I met Harry, everything changed. His actions broke me. He made me question my faith and trust in people. I have spent the last three years trying to fix what he broke. Re-establishing relationships, learning to trust people, finding healthy ways to deal with stress, working out what life is about and trying to live in a way I can be proud of.
“I am grateful to the police for believing in me and supporting me when I really needed it. I will never be the same girl I was when I first met him, and that saddens me. She was a lot more calm and a lot more forgiving.
“I am slowly learning to love the woman I am now, but I do miss the girl I was.”
PC Sol Bhugaloo, an officer who is specially trained to support victims of serious sexual assault (SOIT Officer) who supported the victim survivor throughout the investigation, said, “The victim survivor has shown immense courage throughout this long and protracted investigation. She had to relive her horrific ordeal whilst providing evidence in court. She has shown immense strength and bravery throughout the investigation.
“It is my sincere hope that the bravery shown by her will encourage all victims to come forward. You will be listened to and you will be heard.”
The investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Henh Song, said: “The victim survivor in this case has shown immense courage in standing up to England and ensuring he was made to answer for his actions.
“This was a three-year investigation and it was extremely hard for the victim who had to attend court to provide evidence and be cross-examined. She has shown immense strength and bravery throughout the investigation and we hope that the fact England has admitted his abhorrent behaviour will allow her some measure of closure so that she can rebuild her life.”
England was also ordered to engage in an 18-month Community Order, to attend a ‘building better relationships’ programme. He was ordered to undertake 85 hours of unpaid work. A Restraining Order was also put in place until further notice preventing any contact, direct or indirect with the victim.
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