A man from Stockport has been given a five-year restraining order and a suspended prison sentence for coercive and controlling abuse of his former partner.

Callum Coady, of Larwood Avenue, Heaton Mersey, pleaded guilty to coercive control after his former partner bravely came forward to report the abuse she had been subject to.

Coady became 'increasingly aggressive' throughout the relationship with his ex-partner, forcing her to delete social media, dictating what she wore, monitoring her online activity, and restricting her contact with friends and family.

Coady was arrested on 19 August 2023 at Manchester Airport after arguing with his ex-partner - he had seen a message on Facebook, become angry, then threw a glass of prosecco in her face and threatened to kill her. Airport staff intervened and Coady was subsequently arrested.

When speaking with police officers after the incident, Coady's ex-partner described the ongoing abuse she was subject to, and showed them messages she had received from him.

Officers explained that what she had described amounted to coercive and controlling behaviour, something the survivor herself said she had not fully recognised.

Specialist detectives from the domestic abuse team carried out an extensive investigation, analysing over 35,000 messages between the pair, which revealed a clear and persistent pattern of control, threats and manipulation.

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In her victim impact statement, Coady's former partner said: "After everything I went through, it has had a profound impact on my life. I struggle daily to understand people and often overthink even small interactions.

"I question whether people will treat me with respect after trusting someone who changed completely once, I let him close and controlled how I behaved, thought and lived.

"What happened has made me extremely wary of relationships and friendships. He made me forget what love should feel like, and I struggle to believe anyone could genuinely want something healthy with me.

"I feel anxious going places in case I see him, and I still look over my shoulder. My sense of safety is gone.

"He made me feel unlovable and affected my self-confidence. I overthink everything and notice changes in myself - getting angry more easily and snapping. I'm trying to rebuild myself.

"I blamed myself for not seeing the manipulation sooner.

"Now small things trigger doubt, and if someone seems distant, I assume I've done something wrong.

"I used to be open and secure, but that part of me feels damaged. This experience has deeply affected my trust and identity."

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Detective Constable Elizabeth Andrews, formally part of the Domestic Abuse Team in Stockport that led the investigation, said: "Daisy has shown exceptional bravery throughout this case.

"Her strength in coming forward, her honesty, and her continued co-operation with our officers has been vital in securing today's sentence.

"The thousands of messages recovered from Coady's phone provided a clear and disturbing insight into the level of control, manipulation and abuse she was subjected to, and they formed a crucial part of the evidence against him.

"It is important for people to know that coercive and controlling behaviour is a crime, and it will never be tolerated.

"If you are experiencing anything like this, please report it. You will be listened to, you will be believed, and we will do everything we can to protect you and bring offenders to justice."

Daisy added: "Elizabeth's support has been incredible; I wouldn't have had the strength to be this brave without her by my side.

"It's because of her that I now feel empowered to stand up for myself after everything that happened.

"She helped me understand that none of this was my fault, even when I believed it was. She never judged me and made me feel that others wouldn't either. She is the reason I want to speak out.

"Elizabeth is a huge asset to GMP. I feel I owe her so much - she helped me rebuild my confidence.

"The police have been amazing, and I thank them with my whole heart."