A man has been jailed for 32 months and received a 10-year restraining order following a campaign of controlling and coercive behaviour against a woman in Stockport.
Mark Mellish 36, of Stockport, was jailed yesterday at Bolton Crown Court after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour.
The court previously heard how police received a call regarding an alleged offence in July 2024, which prompted an investigation into the wider behaviour of Mellish.
Officers subsequently found that Mellish had multiple incidences of controlling behaviour against the woman, having first met her in 2021.
Within the charge he plead guilty to, were two assaults, a strangulation, and making numerous calls and texts to check in with her when she was not with him.
The two assaults came in 2022, including an occasion during a trip to Spain, in which he kicked her in the back of a head in a bar in Fuerteventura and threw her mobile phone down the road.
This incident came while the woman was on Facetime to her daughter.
In the other incident, he pushed her against the wall and slapped her, leaving her with a bruise on her back. The woman’s daughters were present in the address at the time.
In December 2023, Mellish lunged at the woman, grabbing her by the throat and tightening his grip for a few seconds until letting go. This again happened in the presence of her children.
After being arrested and bailed in July 2024– and after receiving strict conditions to not contact his victim – Mellish continued to call and pressure the woman to withdraw her statement, threatening to harm himself if she did not.
This resulted in constant calls and attempts to contact her – including an occasion where her phone was buzzing repeatedly during an appointment with police.
The woman informed the police about Mellish breaching his bail and pressurising her to withdraw her statement and he was arrested and remanded into custody on 5 October 2024.
He eventually plead guilty to engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour on 1 April 2025.
DC Emily Beacroft, from Stockport’s Complex Safeguarding Team, said: “Firstly I want to thank the woman involved in this case for her courage and bravery in talking to us about the abuse she endured – her help has ensured a violent criminal is now behind bars and will hopefully protect any future victims.
“Mellish’s behaviour was utterly vile, attacking his victim on several occasions and exhibiting controlling and manipulative behaviour throughout the majority of the time he knew her.
“This sort of criminality is something we are absolutely dedicated to tackling and we will work with all appropriate partners to ensure these sort of people are taken off the streets and their victims are safeguarded.
“If you ever have any problems relating to controlling behaviour or something similar – please do get in touch with us. We will do what we can to help you.”
