Domestic abuser is locked up for two years nine months after his suspended sentence is increased by Court of Appeal

A VIOLENT thug who escaped jail time after admitting subjecting his former partner to a reign of terror, has been locked up after his sentence was reviewed for being too lenient.
Chris Broom
By Chris Broom
Published 27th May 2022, 18:14 GMT
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Liam Kingswell, from Fratton, who physically and mentally abused his partner has been sentenced to an immediate prison term of two years nine months after the solicitor general Alex Chalk QC MP referred his sentence to the Court of Appeal.

The 25-year-old was in an abusive relationship with his partner from July 2020 to June 2021.

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Throughout the relationship the thug behaved in a controlling and abusive manner towards the victim, including breaking her possessions and demanding £3,500 to buy drugs, which caused his victim to get into debt.

Liam Kingswell, 25, had his suspended sentence for criminal damage and controlling and coercive behaviour upped on appeal to two years and nine months Liam Kingswell, 25, had his suspended sentence for criminal damage and controlling and coercive behaviour upped on appeal to two years and nine months
Liam Kingswell, 25, had his suspended sentence for criminal damage and controlling and coercive behaviour upped on appeal to two years and nine months

On occasions Kingswell would use violence against the victim, which included beatings, throwing objects at her and strangling her. The relationship only ended when Kingswell was arrested in June 2021.

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On March 18 Kingswell was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months after admitting criminal damage and controlling and coercive behaviour at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Following the sentencing, the solicitor general referred the original sentence to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme because he believed it was too low.

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Today the Court of Appeal found Kingswell’s sentence to be unduly lenient and sentenced him to an immediate prison term of two years and nine months.

Solicitor general Alex Chalk QC MP said: ‘Liam Kingswell’s abuse of his partner was shocking.

‘I welcome the decision of the Court of Appeal to sentence him to an immediate prison term.

‘I hope this verdict sends a clear message that those who abuse their partners will feel the full force of the law.’

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At the original sentencing the judge, Recorder Simon Foster, said there was a ‘litany of assaults’ that made it a ‘year of hell for her’ but opted for a suspended sentence with community intervention rather than immediate jail despite conceding Kingswell’s ‘response was poor’ following a previous community order.

He added: ‘You are lucky.’

A five-year restraining order was slapped on him.

The judge opted against compensation to the victim so as ‘not to burden the defendant’ due to his ‘parlous’ financial circumstances.

Kingswell also had previous convictions for battery and harassment in 2017 and 2018.