Norfolk man Patrick Sanders avoids jail after controlling his King’s Lynn girlfriend

A man who insisted on staying on video calls with his partner for hours on end made her consider taking her own life.

Patrick Sanders, 32, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he was sentenced for engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour.

The bench heard how Sanders had been in an “on and off” relationship with the victim, who lives in Lynn, since 2019.

At first, Sanders “made it difficult” for the victim to work and even got her fired from her job.

He then would turn up at the town bus station where the victim would be waiting to travel to work, begging her not to go.

Sanders accused the victim of cheating on him, and insisted that she stay on video calls with him for as long as 23 hours at a time.

He watched the victim eat, shower and sleep, prosecutor Jessica Neequaye told the court.

Sanders would tell her how to wash, and would then “get angry” if she did not do what he said and would often call her a “fat cow”.

The relationship came to an end in 2023, but Sanders kept calling the victim repeatedly.

The couple got back together a few months later, with Sanders deciding to purchase her a variety of gifts.

However, he soon insisted that she owed him £6,000 for these - and demanded access to her mobile banking app.

At times, she was left with no money because Sanders had taken it all.

Her mother became aware of Sanders’ behaviour and reported it to the police. He was arrested on June 14 last year.

In a statement read out in court, the victim said: “This whole relationship has made my mental health worse.

“There were times when I wanted to take my own life. I lost my friends because of him and also lost a lot of money.”

Ms Neequaye described the victim as “extremely vulnerable”.

In mitigation, Ruth Johnson told the court that Sanders, of Dorothea Drive in Dereham, was equally as vulnerable.

She explained that he has autism, ADHD, PTSD, depression and schizophrenia.

“It impacts his ability to express his thoughts,” the solicitor said.

She argued that if the bench were considering sending Sanders to prison, it would have a “very harmful impact on others”.

“He is a carer for his mum,” Ms Johnson said.

Magistrates opted to give Sanders a 12-month prison sentence, but suspended it for 18 months, taking into account his guilty plea.

He will also complete ten rehabilitation activity days, and pay a £187 victim surcharge and £110 in court costs.

A five-year restraining order has also been put in place, preventing Sanders from contacting the victim or going to her house.