Thug who abused and controlled his partner in Sheffield is dubbed a "nasty piece of work"

Sheffield Crown Court heard on February 28 how Emmanuel Johnson, aged 26, monitored his partner’s finances and social media activity and verbally and physically abused her during a brief relationship in Sheffield.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Johnson: “You commenced a relationship in the early part of 2020. It was over by the end of 2020.

"During the course of that you sought to control that young woman by constantly checking her mobile telephone and social media accounts.

"There were also several episodes of unpleasant violence visited upon her.”

He added: “You were and almost certainly remain a thoroughly nasty piece of work.”

Danielle Graham, prosecuting, told the court Johnson’s partner, who lived in Sheffield with her two children, said the defendant had been controlling and had checked her finances and social movements.

Ms Graham added the complainant’s family and friends had also heard Johnson being verbally abusive to her and reported seeing her with bruises as she became more withdrawn.

Police were called in September 2020, after the complainant reported she had been assaulted and she had claimed Johnson had grabbed her glasses from her face and grabbed her phone, according to Ms Graham.

Ms Graham said that in November 2020, when the complainant was pregnant with Johnson’s child and planning her father’s funeral, he insisted on returning to Birmingham and he allegedly grabbed her hair and slapped her.

A further incident took place while the couple were in bed arguing, according to Ms Graham, and the complainant was allegedly pushed and fell down the side of her bed and suffered ligament damage to her shoulder.

Ms Graham said in December 2020, the complainant also claimed she had been slapped and kicked and had her hair pulled by the defendant following another argument.

Johnson, of Kingswood Road, in Moseley, Birmingham, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour.

The complainant stated she became so distressed she could not continue with her job as a social worker.

Judge Richardson told Johnson: “You fall to be punished for your appalling behaviour towards this young woman.”

He sentenced Johnson to 18 months of custody and made him subject to a ten-year restraining order.