Man jailed for 'violent abuse' of partner

Grant Morgan Cowlishaw pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour

A man who subjected his partner to several years of controlling and coercive behaviour has been jailed for 16 months.

Grant Morgan Cowlishaw physically attacked her on at least three occasions, North Yorkshire Police said, with the 57-year-old from Harrogate verbally abusing her and "monitoring her use of her phone".

In a statement read out in court, the woman said she felt "overwhelming sadness and confusion trying to understand how someone could tell me they love me, yet treat me in a way that was so incredibly cruel".

At York Crown Court on Friday, Cowlishaw was also handed a 10-year restraining order after admitting engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour between 2021 and 2025.

The abuse continued into March 2025 despite the relationship ending the previous month, the force said.

Cowlishaw breached his bail conditions by "repeatedly" sending messages to the victim and turning up at the home of one of her relatives.

In her statement, the victim said: "Telling my family that I had been suffering in my relationship was so incredibly difficult.

"I felt so embarrassed and ashamed that I had let him treat me the way he did."

She added: "I had distanced myself from my family to keep the truth hidden from them."

Det Con David Whitehouse said: "The victim has shown great courage in reporting this abuse to police, putting an end to this abusive relationship which she had endured over an extended period.

"I hope Cowlishaw's sentence goes some way in helping the victim with closure and moving forward with her life with the help of her family and support network."

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