Attacker who went on run for three months is jailed for assault on woman

Sheffield Crown Court heard Lee Elwood subjected his victim, a woman in her 30s, to seven years of abuse.

This culminated in an incident in Rotherham on July 1 last year.

Elwood (35, pictured) was driving a Land Rover Freelander with the victim the front seat passenger.

Whilst driving down the M18, he assaulted the victim, pulling her hair and punching her.

He eventually pulled off the motorway and stopped at McDonalds in Bramley.

As the victim attempted to escape, Elwood set off driving, dragging her along the floor for several metres at the side of his vehicle.

She suffered broken bones in her neck, several fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a torn liver, a fractured tibia and grazes and bruises across her body.

Elwood went on the run and enquiries to locate him stretched across England.

He was located and arrested by officers from Rotherham in the Leicestershire in October 2021 and later charged with coercive and controlling behaviour and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Elwood, from Bradford, admitted the charges on May 4 and was sentenced on Friday.

He was handed seven years and one month behind bars and a nine-year driving ban.

Det Sgt Chris Byrne said: “Elwood is a violent individual, who isolated his victim and controlled her through both violence and fear of violence.

“He had no consideration for her safety on that day.

“He just wanted to drive her away, so she would not tell anyone of the violence she was suffering from.

“He had no intention of facing the consequences of his actions.

“I am pleased he has been served justice for his atrocious and violent crimes. He is now quite rightly behind bars, off our streets and unable to cause any further harm.

“I want to thank the victim who has been so brave to come forward and disclose what was happening to her.

“Whilst this sentencing will never undo the pain Elwood has caused, I hope that now he is behind bars this can act as a step towards her healing.”

Det Sgt Byrne said the victim had made some real strides towards rebuilding her life and was recovering well from her injuries.

He added: “If you, or someone you know, is suffering from abuse or violence, please know that you are not alone; we are here, we will listen and we will take action to bring your offender to justice.

“Please report what is happening to you so we can help. Call 101, 999 in an emergency or report online.”