Man jailed after strangling Doncaster woman and throwing her in ditch

Andrew Roache grabbed his victim by the throat and repeatedly punched her before driving her to the roadside and flinging her out of the car by her hair.

When concerned members of the public saw Roache's brutality and tried to help, the 36-year-old made threats to attack them with a machete.

The woman was forced to bite her attacker on the nose in a desperate bid to stop him from hurting her and officers later arrested Roache and brought him into custody.

His vulnerable victim was then able to open up to South Yorkshire Police officers about how terrified she was of him and how he had strangled her regularly over a prolonged period of time.

After careful discussions with the victim and after reviewing hours' worth of CCTV footage which captured Roache's abuse and attacks, the defendant was charged with a number of offences.

He pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour, non-fatal strangulation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Sheffield Crown Court on 3 January 2024.

Last Thursday (22 February), Roache, of no fixed abode, was jailed for two-and-a-half years and given a five-year restraining order against his victim.

PC Alex Latham, who was the officer in charge of the case, said: "Roache is a dangerous individual who subjected his victim to a series of brutal assaults and horrifying abuse that left her terrified to be around him.

"He even threatened brave members of the public with violence when they tried to intervene and help the woman he had attacked and thrown in a ditch.

"I want to commend the victim in this case for her bravery in opening up to us about Roache's offending.

"It has resulted in a deserved custodial sentence, and I hope it sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate vicious and violent crimes like the ones committed by Roache."

You can report domestic violence to police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.