A vile attacker who left his partner with serious brain injuries has been locked up for five and a half years. Peter Sowerby, 63, from Tiverton, Devon, launched a savage assault that caused a bleed on the surface of her brain, leaving her with ongoing seizures and wrecked health.
Night Out Turns Into Nightmare
In August 2021, after a night out with friends in Hawes, Sowerby returned home with his partner to the Cocketts Hotel, where they lived. A verbal row quickly escalated. Sowerby shoved his partner to the floor, pinned her down, then repeatedly punched her in the face and kicked her body.
“She only managed to escape after biting his finger,” court heard.
Life Shattered
The victim, a successful businesswoman who ran two hotels and a newsagents’ in Wensleydale, was left with grievous injuries. She was rushed to the hospital to be treated for bruising, swelling, and a brain bleed. Four years on, she still struggles with constant pain and seizures. She can no longer work in her thriving hospitality career and has had to leave the community she loved. Meanwhile, Sowerby fled the UK shortly after, setting up a business in Thailand and leaving her to sort out ongoing debts and the sale of their UK businesses.
Justice Served at Teesside Crown Court
On 13 April 2026, a jury found Sowerby guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He was sentenced to five years and six months behind bars, finally facing consequences for the devastating attack that turned a successful woman’s life upside down.
