Jail for man who repeatedly strangled his partner

A man who repeatedly strangled and headbutted his former partner has been jailed for four years.

Liam O'Rourke, 50, of Welbeck Way, Louth, Lincolnshire, was convicted of two charges of non-fatal strangulation and actual bodily harm following a trial at Lincoln Crown Court.

In addition, O'Rourke must serve 12 months on extended licence on his release from jail as there was "ample evidence of his danger to women", Judge Catarina Sjolin-Knight said.

A restraining order was also made preventing him having any future contact with the victim.

In an impact statement read to the court, she described the trauma of going through the court process.

"I had to relive it all," she said.

She said she was "gutted" at how the relationship had ended, and O'Rourke was "amazing 99% of the time".

"But that 1% was the most hurtful and violent I have ever known and suffered," she added.

The victim felt forced to move away from Louth due to her experience, the court heard.

"I feel like my life will never be the same again," she said.

The court was told O'Rourke had 50 previous convictions for 90 offences.

Passing sentence, Judge Sjolin-Knight told him: "You were found guilty of strangling and headbutting your then partner on the night of 28 July 2025 into the morning of 29 July."

She said: "There were repeated strangulations over the night," and added that the victim was obviously vulnerable at the time as she had been discharged from hospital just two weeks earlier following treatment for stage three cancer.

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