PhD student strangled girlfriend after she woke him up following night out in Leeds

A PhD student strangled his girlfriend after she woke him up following a night out in Leeds.

31-year-old Jack Kendall, of Lawrence Way in Warwickshire, left his girlfriend terrified for her safety after she woke him up whilst he was sleepwalking.

The couple had been for drinks in Leeds city centre on 4th January 2025 before Kendall became violent, Leeds Live reports.

On Tuesday, Leeds Crown Court heard how Kendall and his partner had returned home and fallen asleep before the student began to sleepwalk and sleep talk.

Prosecutor Katie Welford said: “She woke him to tell him he was sleepwalking. He woke and started to shout at her and accused her of looking at other men when they were out. He threw items including a plant pot around the property.

“The defendant told her to sleep upstairs and she did, but shortly after returned when requested by him.

“He shouted at her for around an hour and strangled her…he then grabbed her around the throat again and lifted her up…his hands were squeezing her neck and she thought she was going to pass out. He let her go and was shouting at her to breathe properly.”

The court was told a neighbour was awoken around midnight by shouting and could hear Kendall calling his partner a “sl**”, as well as yelling: “Stop gaslighting me.”

Ms Welford said: “They had heard panting and believed someone was gasping for air. The neighbour became concerned for her safety and called the police.

“Shortly after, the police arrived and the defendant appeared and he said they had been out and had an argument and he had smashed some plant pots. She disclosed he had grabbed her by the throat.”

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Kendall was arrested following the incident but continued to contact the woman. Messaging over Instagram, he said he “didn’t see the point of anything”. He also told the victim: “By the time you read this I will probably be gone.”

The court heard that the woman was able to reach out to a mutual friend, who then contacted Kendall’s father. The following day, while in hospital after a suicide attempt, Kendall messaged the woman saying: “When I get out of hospital I’m going to try again.”

Kendall was arrested again and admitted to intentional strangulation, damaging property and harassment without violence.

He already had a prior offence of battery on his record involving a former partner.

His Honour Judge Mansell KC gave Kendall an 18-month sentence suspended for 18 months and placed him under an indefinite restraining order. He was also prohibited from entering Leeds for the next two years.

Mitigating for Kendall, Lily Wildman told the court the defendant does not object to a restraining order and has no desire to contact the victim.

She said: “In the pre-sentence report it says a consequence of any criminal conviction in any event leaves him with a lot of uncertainty of his PhD. Much of the outcome of his education is dependent on his conviction.”

Ms Wildman said that following Kendall’s last conviction in 2017, he was not referred to the Building Better Relationships programme until his community order had expired, preventing him from enrolling.

She added: “While it is clear this offence is an escalation in seriousness in nature, that is not something he has had the benefit of addressing in terms of thinking and in terms of risk.”

In her victim impact statement, the woman told the court she frequently feels anxious and has experienced difficulties with sleeping, often waking up from nightmares in tears.

She said: “I’m fearful of being on my own. I’m scared he will break in and come and hurt me. I am jumpy whenever someone knocks on my door.

“I’ve found myself depressed for many weeks and still cry every day. The only thing that has brought me comfort is knowing he has not been able to enter Leeds except for court matters…It has been better not having any contact from him.”

The woman referenced previous incidents when Kendall had threatened her, telling the court he once said he would “punch her so hard she would be pissing blood for weeks.”

She added: “I don’t believe he is remorseful for his actions, just that he got caught. I thought I was going to die and when he let go of me I was so dizzy I almost collapsed.”

Featured image via Google Street View