Cocaine-fuelled man jailed for seven years for holding three women hostage at knifepoint on Christmas Day while mercilessly attacking them

Michael Phillips, 40, forced entry to an address in Carisbrooke Road in Newport, Isle of Wight, on 25 December 2021 whilst drunk and under the influence of cocaine.

READ NOW: Police hunt man in forest

Phillips then proceeded to assault a woman known to him within the address, along with the woman’s mother and his partner who was also at the address at the time.

Police were called shortly after midnight on Boxing Day, with officers told Phillips had prevented the women from leaving before assaulting them over a period of three hours.

His partner managed to flee the address and go to a friend’s house, when police were called.

Isle of Wight Crown Court heard that during his imprisonment of the women, Phillips threatened the women with a knife, before one of the victims was cut on the hand.

Over the course of three hours, Phillips repeatedly kicked, headbutted and punched the women if they spoke. One of the women was kicked so hard in the head that when her head hit the wall it left a dent.

Officers attended to find the property covered in blood and Phillips was arrested. Phillips, of no fixed abode, was charged with a number of offences which he continually denied, and the case proceeded to trial on Monday 15 May this year.

On 17 May, the jury found him guilty of two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of making threats to kill and one count of criminal damage.

Now after appearing at court he has been sentenced to a total of seven years in prison with an extended license period of a year.

DC Jodie Parsons said: “This was a truly horrific and degrading period of extreme violence inflicted on three women. What they experienced was awful, and I am so pleased that the man responsible has now been locked up to ensure the safety of these women and others.

“Violence of any kind is not tolerated by police, and we take a particularly robust stance against domestic abuse. I hope this case gives confidence to other members of our community who are suffering violence at home to come forward and report to police.”