A convicted sex offender who met his girlfriend on Snapchat battered and strangled her within four weeks, leaving her with a black eye. Connor Helps, 30, formerly of Coral Avenue in St Helens, moved in with the woman almost immediately after they met online, but their relationship turned violent following a trip to the vets.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Helps, also known as Connor Woodcock, had been in a relationship with the woman, who has not been named, for around four weeks at the time of the incident. The couple had met via Snapchat, and Helps moved into her home shortly afterwards.
Violent attack after vets visit
On March 3 this year, the couple attended Rutland House Vets in St Helens. Gaby McGrath, prosecuting, described how the victim fell over outside the practice and asked Helps for help to get back up, but he refused. When they were returning home, she asked him for her tobacco, but he again refused, leading to an argument.
The victim told Helps she was going to her dad's house and told him not to follow her, but she arrived to find he was already present. This sparked another row, and she returned to her own home. However, Helps had arrived at the house ahead of her, and further arguing descended into violence when he grabbed her coat, pushed her, and punched and kicked her to the ribs.
With the victim on the floor, Helps straddled her, pinned her down by her wrists, and punched her to the eye. While she tried to push him off, he placed both hands around her neck and squeezed for around a minute, causing her vision to blur and leaving her fearing she would black out. He told her: "If you really want me to be a p**ck, then I'll be a p**ck."
Second strangling and arrest
The victim punched Helps, but he began hitting her using her own hands, telling her "you can't get me done for hitting yourself," before leaving with her keys and phone. He returned a short time later, and the victim allowed him inside to collect his belongings. He then attacked her again, punching and kicking her to the ground, pinning her to the floor, and strangling her before leaving.
She was left with a black eye and injuries to both elbows. Helps attended her home twice more that evening before being arrested in the vicinity. He made off at the sight of police, having threatened to "slice his neck with a piece of glass" before running away. Officers later found he had caused a superficial wound to his neck with a shard of glass. Police used tasers and PAVA spray to apprehend him, and he was found in possession of a quantity of cannabis.
Previous convictions and sentencing
Under interview, Helps claimed the victim had grabbed him by the neck at her dad's house and accepted attending her home on three occasions, but only to retrieve his possessions. He has 15 previous convictions for 27 offences, including harassment, breaching a restraining order, aggravated vehicle taking, and battery. He was also jailed for 38 months for sexual assault in 2021.
Katy Appleton, defending, told the court: "He is a father of one child, who he sadly has no contact with. He does not have an attractive record. Prior to his remand in custody, it is right to say that he had unstable accommodation. His most recent job prior to his remand was working as a driver's mate. The pre-sentence report sets out his tragic upbringing. Both of his parents used drugs. He witnessed violence. He was in foster placement since seven-years-old."
Helps admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the day he was due to stand trial, as well as possession of cannabis and failure to surrender to bail. He did not attend court for his initial plea hearing in April and was detained five days later after a warrant was issued. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was jailed for two years, handed an additional year on extended licence, and given a 10-year restraining order.
Sentencing, Recorder Eric Lamb said: "You had formed that relationship over Snapchat. It came to an end when there were numerous arguments in the street. It went to three separate venues before arriving back at [the victim's] house, where you had been staying. The assault took the form of you grabbing her coat, pushing her and punching and kicking her in the ribs, which made her fall over. You straddled her and pinned her down by her wrists and punched her to the eye. She tried to push you off. You then put both hands round her neck and squeezed for a minute."
"[The victim] punched you. You let go, but stayed on top of her then began hitting her with her own hands. You then got off and left, taking with you her keys and phone. You came back shortly thereafter. She let you in, but you assaulted her again. You punched her and kicked her again. She fell on the floor. You again pinned her on the floor and strangled her a second time then left the address. You have a number of highly relevant convictions."
