A man has been jailed after strangling his partner and forcing her to take lie detector tests to prove she hadn’t been unfaithful. Craig Clack, 31, was sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence of 21 months at Liverpool Crown Court last week after a judge deemed him to be a “danger to the public”.
Clack admitted the charge of intentional strangulation of his then partner, Hayley Farrell, as part of a plea deal days into his trial. Ms Farrell, 36 and from Southport, said the pair had been together for two-and-a-half years and had a baby together early in the relationship. She claimed the abuse started at around the same time as the baby’s birth. Ms Farrell said: “He was a drug addict and would become delusional and would accuse me of doing this and that. He would make me take lie detector tests to prove I had not done anything. He would accuse me of all sorts, but I hardly left the house. I didn’t have a night out with friends for two years.
“He went to rehab but would come on weekends and accuse me of having sexual contact. I did a lie detector test which asked me if I had any sexual contact.
“He told me that wasn’t enough so made me do another one where I was asked if I had messaged another man. I thought if I did them the abuse would stop. I spent around £1,200.”
The court heard on June 14 last year Clack strangled Ms Farrell. She alleged that the incident happened after Clack had taken drugs for 14 days in a row.
She said: “On the day he strangled me he asked me for money. He already owed me £3,000 so I told him no. That was when he flew at me. He put his hands around my throat and threw me into a mirror.”
Ms Farrell said she had tried to hide the abuse from her family, but called her sister who in turn notified the police about the incident. Clack was charged with actual bodily harm (ABH) and intentional strangulation. He initially pleaded not guilty to offences.
Ms Farrell said: “He tried to beg for me back, but he was just trying to get the charges dropped. We went to trial and I did my bit, but he then took a plea deal a couple of days in.
“He said he would admit to the intentional strangulation if the ABH was dropped. It was just a relief to hear him admit he had done something. I also didn’t want to put my sister through the trial as she was a witness who would have had to give evidence.”
Clack was initially released on bail following his guilty plea. However, he returned to court on August 4 where he was handed an immediate custodial sentence.
Ms Farrell said: “I’m wary for when he comes out. I haven’t got a restraining order at the moment. I do worry for what comes next. He’s not a nice man.