Southampton Man Jailed for Terrifying Stalking and Abuse
Lloyd Rooke, 33, from Southampton, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and slapped with a seven-year restraining order after a horror court case at Southampton Crown Court on 9 December.
Brutal Abuse and Mind Games Revealed
Rooke’s vile controlling and coercive behaviour started in August 2020 at a property in Woolston, Southampton. During their relationship, he routinely kicked, stamped on, and physically assaulted his victim. He threw a phone at her, whipped her with a metal coat hanger, dunked her head in bath water, and threatened to kill her.
He even gaslit her, denying the abuse happened so often she had to make notes to herself on her phone as proof. When she tried to leave, he threatened self-harm, manipulating her into staying.
Final Violent Outburst Leads to Police Action
On the night of 21-22 February this year, Rooke verbally abused the victim, sprayed disinfectant in her eyes, ripped a TV off the wall, spat and blew snot at her because he was hungry, then punched her in the head over housework and shopping excuses.
She fled to her mother’s house, finally breaking her silence. Together, they reported the abuse to the police.
Relentless Stalking and Harassment Follow Court Bail
Despite bail conditions barring contact, Rooke repeatedly stalked and harassed the victim. He turned up at her home and work, nudged her car, and dangerously threatened to ram a building with his vehicle.
In a heart-wrenching statement, the victim revealed she was so psychologically trapped she planned her own suicide but found a glimmer of hope. “Now I feel free, I feel safe… It feels as if I can see again,” she said.
Chief Inspector Marcus Kennedy praised her courage: “Her words show how devastating domestic abuse can be and the incredible strength it takes to come through. Male violence towards women and girls has no place in our society.”
He added, “This sentence shows our commitment to putting offenders like Rooke behind bars where they cannot harm another woman.”
