Norfolk man strangled ex-partners' and his own sister

Findlay Townsend, 21, put his arm around the throat of one partner as she tried to get up from the bed before later wrapping his legs around her neck saying "night night, you can go to sleep now".

King's Lynn Crown Court heard the woman, who Townsend had been in a relationship with between October 2022 and March 2023, "thought she might die" in the incident which was followed by another attack - this time on his partner and sister.

King's Lynn Crown Court (Image: Newsquest) Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said the three of them had been out at Dr Thirsty's nightclub in Lynn, but an intoxicated Townsend was made to leave.

Once they returned home, he became angry as he could not find his phone.

Dr Thirsty's nightclub (Image: Daniel High) Townsend asked his partner to find it and called her "useless" when she couldn't and started to "push her around".

After seeing what was happening, Townsend's sister intervened and the defendant "got up in her face, saying 'what are you going to do?'

They got in a tussle and ended up on the floor when he "grabbed her by the neck and squeezed her windpipe" to the extent she was "struggling to breathe".

Townsend's partner tried to get him off of her and he left.

After starting another relationship with a new partner in November 2023, Mr Ivory said things quickly deteriorated but when she threatened to leave him he said he would "kill himself".

Townsend became physical with her and on one occasion "pinned her to the bed in his flat" pressing down with a pillow on her face "preventing her from breathing at all".

Mr Ivory said she "managed to get a quick breath of air" but the defendant then "pushed down harder".

But so desperate was she to breathe that she "clawed at him so hard her nails came off".

The victim managed to break free but was "dragged back" by him in a quilt he put across her face in an attempt to suffocate her.

Townsend, of Old Market Street, appeared at court on Friday (October 4) after he admitted a series of offences, including coercive and controlling behaviour in respect of both former partners.

Findlay Townsend (Image: Norfolk Constabulary) Other offences he admitted included intentional strangulation and assault by beating of his sister, two counts of intentional strangulation one of his former partner's as well as assault, criminal damage and intentional suffocation of another par, and intentional suffocation of a former partner.

Imposing a sentence of 40 months custody, Recorder Paul Garlick said it had been "continuing conduct which involved coercive conduct and extreme violence".

He said these were "extremely serious offences".

Giles Fleming, mitigating, said the defendant knows "he's not going to be released today" but insisted his guilty pleas were before any trial date.

He said the young age of the defendant should also be taken into account as well as the fact he went into care at age of 12 after being subjected to domestic violence, abuse and neglect at home.

Mr Fleming said Townsend has also been diagnosed with ADHD and a borderline personality disorder as well as Tourette's syndrome and also wanted to apologise to his victims.

Townsend was made the subject of three separate restraining orders banning him from contacting his previous partners indefinitely and his sister for the next five years.