A habitual domestic abuser was found bashing his own head against the pavement, fuelled by a “paranoid” suspicion that his TikTok girlfriend was concealing another man in her loft. Callum Lydiate brutally attacked his new partner within months of connecting with her on the social media site, repeatedly punching and kicking her before yanking out handfuls of her hair. The brute has now been found guilty of violent acts against three women he has dated. A judge today warned him of his “disturbing personality trait” and encouraged him to “improve”, adding: “Only you can make that decision.”
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Wednesday, that Lydiate, from Deanland Drive in Speke, initiated a relationship with Lucy Price after the pair connected on TikTok approximately three months before May 2 this year. On that morning, the 26 year old defendant arrived at his girlfriend’s Liscard residence carrying a bottle of vodka.
Prosecutor Bethany Leigh detailed how he had already consumed half of the bottle and continued to drink the remainder throughout the afternoon. By around 6.30pm, Lydiate had grown “increasingly paranoid there was someone upstairs in the loft”, leading him to repeatedly punch and kick a terrified Ms Price in her bedroom. He then smashed her television before she ran downstairs to escape. However, Lydiate pursued her, took her phone from her and hid it behind a sofa cushion, telling her: “You’re not getting out of this house alive.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
He continued to assault her, but she eventually managed to flee. When she returned, believing it was safe, she was confronted by Lydiate at the front door, who dragged her to the ground by her hair, pulling clumps out in the process. Fortunately, neighbours intervened, and Lydiate then hit his own head against the pavement and a fence before the police arrived and arrested him. Lydiate has five previous convictions for nine offences.
These include assaults against two other former girlfriends, one of who he punched, kicked and pulled her hair. Charles Lander, his defence lawyer, told the court: “The defendant explains his behaviour through drink and drugs. He accepts that his behaviour is aggravated by his previous convictions. He has found this time in custody difficult. He says that he has not left his cell door, save for receiving food.”
The court was asked to consider that there was an element of remorse. Ultimately, Lydiate is determined to address his issues. He expressed concerns about his mother and father while he is away, as well as his grandma, who has been diagnosed with a serious illness. (Judge comments follow, however, that was beyond the end of the passage.) Lydiate pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.
Appearing via video link from HMP Liverpool, clad in a sky blue Montirex tracksuit top, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison and given a five-year restraining order. In his sentencing remarks, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary KC, said: “You and she had begun a relationship about three months or so before, but it is clear that, on the day of the incident, you had been drinking. She describes you becoming more and more paranoid during the day, believing, in some way, that she was having an affair with somebody else, or that there was someone else in the property.
“It is plain that you have a worrying side to your personality, not simply because of the circumstances of this offence but also given your record of past offending involving the use of violence with people who you are having relationships in domestic settings. All of this must have been very terrifying indeed for Lucy Price. I have seen photographs showing bruising and marks all over her upper body.
“You have worrying characteristics of being violent towards others. I hope that you take advantage of any courses you are offered in custody and hope that you come out determined to do better. Only you can make that choice.”
