'Bully' strangled partner over missed lottery win
Northumbria PoliceA "classic bully" who attacked his girlfriend after they missed out on winning a lottery months after his release from prison has been jailed for four years.
Lee Goldsborough, 49, squeezed his victim's neck so hard she thought he would snap it while in a rage over not getting £167,000 from the People's Postcode Lottery, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
His victim said she genuinely feared for her life with a judge saying Goldsborough, who had a history of violent offending, was "happy" to use his power to harm others.
Goldsborough, of Cedar Road in Fenham, Newcastle, admitted new offences including intentional strangulation, assault and criminal damage.
Goldsborough and the woman met on a night out in the city in late 2023 and went on to start a relationship, prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said.
The first sign of trouble was on a shopping trip on 9 February last year when he kicked her and called her names, the court heard.
'Feared for my life'
Three days later, the woman found out her postcode had been selected in the lottery which should have won her £167,000, but she missed out because she had only recently moved and had not yet notified them of her address change, the court heard.
"She was devastated," Mr Wardlaw said, adding: "Instead of being sympathetic and supportive, he was angry and calling her 'slow' and 'stupid'."
Goldsborough repeatedly punched the woman in the face and then throttled her "with such force she believed he was trying to break her neck", Mr Wardlaw said.
Later, Goldsborough again apologised and blamed "mental health" difficulties before making a joke about the bruises he had inflicted on her face by saying "that's what make-up is for".
On 8 March, he became enraged again and smashed her bannister, the court heard, leading her to eventually report him to police.
In a statement, the woman said she was "terrified", adding: "I genuinely feared for my life."
She said she had isolated herself from friends and family so they would not see her injuries and had been left a "shell" of herself.
The court heard Goldsborough had 29 convictions for 70 offences dating back to 1988, including for burglary, theft, violent disorder, affray.
'Happy to harm others'
In July 2006, he was jailed for two years for attempted robbery under an IPP, meaning he could only be released when he was deemed safe.
His barrister Tony Davis said that "pernicious" order had led to him serving about 16 years in total, which had left him with problems controlling his emotions, especially in relationships.
Recorder Simon Goldberg KC said the fact Goldsborough had been kept in prison for so long suggested officials must have taken the view he was "not safe for release".
"Given you committed these offences within six months of your release tends to suggest [they were] correct," the judge told him.
He said Goldsborough was a "classic bully" with "anger issues" who was "happy" to use his size and power to harm others, especially women he was in a relationship with.
A restraining order banning Goldsborough from contacting the woman was also made to last indefinitely.