Sheffield abuser told woman he sexually assaulted to 'bleed b***h' & threatened murder during attack
A twisted Sheffield abuser told a woman he later sexually assaulted to ‘bleed b***h,’ as he subjected her to a prolonged physical assault.
- Man with history of violence subjected woman to a prolonged physical attack, as well as a sexual assault
- He told her to ‘bleed b***h’ and said he was going to murder her
- Judge deems defendant to display ‘misogynistic and entitled’ attitude and pose a high risk of re-offending
During the same episode of violence, defendant Ashley Ellison also told the complainant he would ‘murder’ her, a Sheffield Crown Court sentencing hearing heard.
As he sent Ellison, aged 34, to begin a prison sentence on March 12, 2025, Judge Peter Hampton told him: “You punched the complainant multiple times to the head, saying ‘bleed b***h’. She was bleeding from her nose, head and eye.
“She left…you followed her outside, you made the decision to follow her. You grabbed her by her hair, while she was on the ground.
“You attempted to drag her back [inside]. You only stopped when neighbours intervened when they heard you being threatening, saying you were going to murder her.”
The complainant was left with a number of injuries following the assault, including bruising and a cut to her eye, which left her with tenderness and pain when she moved her jaw.
Ellison, of Stannington, Sheffield, also subjected the same woman to a sexual assault, during which he pulled down her clothing and touched her in an intimate area of her body, the court heard.
Judge Hampton continued: “You were told ‘no’ several times, and you persisted.”
The complainant, who is entitled to lifelong anonymity, subsequently went to the police, and the court heard how Ellison initially made ‘no admissions’ during his interviews.
He subsequently acknowledged his wrongdoing, however, when he entered guilty pleas to a number of charges including sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at an earlier hearing.
In a statement to the court, the complainant said she feels her life has ‘gone backwards’ in the wake of Ellison’s offending.
She also detailed the significant mental health struggles she has endured, which include being admitted to a mental health hospital.
“I’m about to start therapy, I struggle to talk to people about it,” the complainant said.
The court heard how Ellison’s criminal record consists of 13 previous offences for six court appearances, with entries for other violent offences including three counts of battery and one count of assault by beating.
Defending, Amy Earnshaw said a ‘significant mitigating factor’ in Ellison’s case is the fact he has spent the last six months in prison on remand, which, she said, equates to the equivalent of a 12-month prison sentence.
Another mitigating factor of note, Ms Earnshaw suggested, is the fact that Ellison’s girlfriend passed away in March 2022, and ‘he had been the one to find her body’.
She continued: “There was an investigation in relation to that, and he was arrested. Nothing came of it, but he was unable to grieve at the loss of his long-term partner because this was hanging over him. He didn’t know what was happening for a year-and-a-half, during that time his family got death threats.
“He didn’t leave his property for fear of being attacked.”
Ms Earnshaw said it does not appear Ellison has dealt with the grief he carries following his partner’s death, and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in connection with the ordeal during his time on remand.
In the period leading up to these offences, Ellison had stopped taking prescribed medication for his mental health difficulties; and had instead opted to self-medicate with alcohol and cannabis.
Ms Earnshaw said Ellison was at a ‘very low point in his life’ at the time of the offences, and ‘alcohol appears to have been a trigger here’.
Jailing Ellison for 34 months, Judge Hampton told him: “Your behaviour is indicative of someone with a misogynistic and entitled attitude.”
“Only a custodial sentence can be justified, and it’s not of the type that can be suspended…there’s no realistic prospect of rehabilitation, given previous breaches of court orders like restraining orders.”
“I agree with the author of the pre-sentence report, you pose a high risk of re-offending.”
Judge Hampton also imposed a restraining order, prohibiting Ellison from contacting the complainant for a period of seven years.
Ellison was also told he must remain on the sex offenders’ register for a period of seven years.