A man has been jailed for over five years for a vicious attack on a former Hawes businesswoman who was left with life-changing injuries including a bleed on the brain.
Peter Sowerby, 63, punched, kicked and tried to suffocate his then partner during a prolonged attack at their home in the town, Teesside Crown Court heard today.
Prosecutor Nadim Bashir said that Sowerby and the victim had been out drinking with two guests at the hotel they ran together in Hawes and ended up at The Crown pub where Sowerby glared at her following some “light banter” among the party.
He said that the victim, who was well-liked in the village, had seen this type of glare before from Sowerby during past arguments, so she left the pub and asked a barman to escort her to the guest room at the nearby Crocketts Hotel, which at the time was owned by the couple and where they were living.
Sowerby remained in the pub but returned to the guest room a short time later – at about midnight on August 15, 2021 – when he immediately aimed “a barrage of verbal abuse” at his then partner in the bedroom.
She tried to leave the room, but he blocked her way and pushed her to the floor. She tried to stand up, but Sowerby punched her in the face with so much force he knocked her back down again.
As he did so, he shouted: “I’m going to ruin you.”
As the victim was lying helpless on the floor, Sowerby kicked her to the side of the body, hurting her ribs.
“He then delivered a barrage of punches, using both fists, to her head,” said Mr Bashir.
As Sowerby “pummelled” her head, the victim tried to get back up but then came another barrage of punches to her head.
She tried to get to her feet but Sowerby pulled her hair with such force it felt like “the skin on my hair was coming out of my scalp”.
He then put his hand over her mouth to stop her crying out for help and she struggled to breathe, to the point where she thought he was “going to kill her”.
Fortunately, Sowerby’s hand slipped and she took this opportunity to bite his finger, forcing him to release his grip.
As he did so, she ran out of the room and ran back to the pub, telling bar workers to call police. According to the barmen, her face was covered in blood.
Sowerby then appeared, demanding to be let inside the pub, but the victim had gone back to the hotel to get her handbag and other belongings, then went to the local newsagents which she and Sowerby also owned at the time.
She intended to lock herself inside the newsagents, but she couldn’t find the keys, which left her with no choice but to head for her daughter’s home, which was another local hotel, because her parents lived in Leyburn and were too far away.
To reach her daughter’s place, the victim had to walk more than a mile along a dark, unlit road with no footpath. As she reached a junction on foot, she heard a car’s engine and hid in a hedge. It was Sowerby’s Ford Ranger – he had gone out looking for her.
Each time she saw the Ranger’s headlights she dived into the bottom of the hedge where she lost consciousness but then came back round.
She finally reached her daughter’s hotel and stayed in a bedroom until the later that morning when she took herself to Darlington Royal Hospital’s emergency department, where she remained under observation for six days.
Scans revealed she had been punched in the head, face and chest by her then long-term partner and had also been kicked in the head. She had bruising to her face, jaw, chest, back, the side of her body and thighs and black eyes. She had shooting pains in her ear which led to tinnitus.
A CT scan revealed she had suffered an acute haemorrhage or bleed on the brain, effectively a blood clot “lying on the brain”.
Sowerby was arrested at about 9am later that morning and taken in for questioning. He told officers he had “done nothing wrong”.
He was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent but denied the offence, only to be found guilty following a trial in February.
He appeared for sentence at the Crown Court today after being remanded in custody.
The prosecution read out a statement from the victim who said that the attack by her former partner had completely ruined her life and career.
“Nearly four years (since the attack), I still suffer from the physical consequences,” she added.
She had developed epilepsy caused by the head injuries which in turn had led to seizures. She suffered from “constant dizziness”, ringing in her ear and pain to the side of her face, and she had developed ear infections.
Her mental health and quality of life had been “severely affected”. She struggled to sleep and had nightmares. She had to take medication for anxiety.
She had undergone neurological assessments to see if further surgery was required and faced lifelong medical care.
“At the time (of the attack), I had a successful business, operating three ventures: a restaurant, a largely food-driven pub and an online showroom,” she added.
“The attack led to the closure of all three businesses, causing personal devastation and financial ruin exceeding a million pounds.”
Due to her inability to work because of her injuries, she had been left in “financial ruin”.
She had had to move 50 miles away “to escape the trauma” of what happened at the hands of Sowerby.
“His assault and betrayal have affected every aspect of my existence,” she added.
She and Sowerby began a relationship 13 years ago after they met online and moved to Hawes where they ran three successful businesses including the local newsagents which they set up on the back of her savings.
But as time went on, Sowerby became “more controlling with me and demanded I work every available hour”.
“He would snap at me, he chipped away at my self-confidence,” she said.
“He even wanted me to buy a yacht for him.”
She added: “It all came to a head on August 15, 202. From this day (on), I’ve gone from being a confident, happy, healthy person…to someone constantly anxious (and) constantly in physical pain.”
The bar manager at The Crown said that the bloodied victim, who was his boss, came into the pub at about 2am “crying and shouting, ‘Call the police, he’s hit me.’”
He ran to the Crockett Hotel to find Sowerby in an “angry state” and he pushed him out of the building.
He said that Sowerby tried to get in the pub, then got in his Ford Ranger and “drove up and down Hawes high street, looking for (the victim)”.
However, Sowerby was stopped by the two barmen.
During a search for the victim, one of the barmen received a phone call from her daughter at about 7.30am to say that she was safe.
The bar manager said that Sowerby was “controlling” and would “get angry and verbally aggressive” with employees whom he “micro-managed” to the point where the witness had left the business temporarily.
Defence barrister Paul Abrahams said that Sowerby – lately of Tiverton, Devon – still denied the allegations and had lodged an appeal against conviction. He had no previous convictions.
Recorder Judy Dawson jailed Sowerby for five-and-a-half years and said he would have to serve two-thirds of that sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.
Sowerby was also made subject to a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim and going into the county of Lancashire where she now lived.
Shortly after the attack, Sowerby left the UK and set up a business in Thailand, leaving the victim to deal with the sale of the businesses in the UK and settle the debts that were left behind.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Martin Willoughby, paid tribute to the victim. He said: “An unending patience has been shown during the time it has taken to see justice being served to Sowerby.
“Sowerby attacked his victim in August 2021 and the case has been set for trial on four occasions. Sowerby has frustrated the justice process resulting in three out of the four trials being adjourned, often at the last minute after both victim and witnesses had already booked accommodation and in some cases, taken time of work.
“Despite these delays, the victim and her family have shown unwavering support for the investigation, resulting in a man who is a danger to women being put behind bars.
“The victim truly deserves some happiness and I hope that this court result helps bring some closure for her following a horrendous ordeal. My thanks go to her and her family for their unending support and patience.
“This case shows that no matter what challenges people may be faced with during a police investigation into such sensitive offences – and we understand how difficult it can be – please be assured that we will do everything in our power to bring perpetrators to justice and put measures in place to support you through the process. Domestic abuse and all forms of violence against women and girls are treated with the utmost importance and I would encourage all victims of abuse to come forward”.
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