‘Off-Grid’ Dream Turns Into Six-Year Nightmare of Abuse
A man who subjected his partner to a horrific six-year campaign of domestic abuse, leaving her feeling ‘worthless and unlovable’, has been jailed for eight years. Anthony Manson, 64, met former nurse Sally Ann Norman after she left an unhappy marriage, fooling her into believing he was ‘the one’ and persuading her to fund an ‘off-grid’ lifestyle.
Ms Norman used part of her £280,000 divorce settlement to start a new life with Manson in a caravan in Tintern, Monmouthshire. However, what began as a promise of a ‘Good Life’ adventure rapidly descended into a sustained period of bullying, control, and violence.
A Campaign of Coercive Control and Violence
The court heard how Manson, also known as Antonio Villafane, systematically isolated his victim. He cut off her contact from family and friends and subjected her to degrading treatment, including forcing her to stand naked outside to pray.
Manson’s abuse was also physical and financial. He was found guilty of multiple offences, including coercive control, intentional strangulation, unlawful wounding, actual bodily harm, and fraud. The sustained ordeal caused Ms Norman’s weight to plummet from 13 stone to just 8 stone as he forced her to work on the land.
Lasting Impact and a Sentence of Justice
In a powerful victim impact statement, Ms Norman, who now walks with a stick, revealed the profound psychological scars. She said she felt ‘stupid’ after being ‘led down the garden path’ and now suffers from PTSD and anxiety as a result of the ‘horrendous treatment’.
Sentencing Manson at Newport Crown Court, Judge Daniel Williams branded him a ‘grandiose bully’ who had spotted his victim's vulnerabilities ‘with the instincts of the domestic abuser’. The judge stated that Manson represents a ‘high risk of causing serious harm’ to future partners and commended Ms Norman for her ‘brave and honest’ evidence during the trial.
Detective Sergeant Liam Young of Gwent Police said: "I have no doubt that the crimes committed by this man will have a significant and lasting impact on the survivor of his abusive behaviour. Her bravery in coming forward is remarkable." Manson, from Tintern, was found not guilty on one charge of wounding with intent.
