A controlling boyfriend used his partner’s credit cards, brandished a knife in front of her and got a key cut for her home without her knowing. Michael Ferguson, 41, has been jailed for his crimes, which spanned a two-year period.
Ferguson met his victim in 2018 when they were both in rehab, prosecution barrister Chloe Booth told Minshull Street Crown Court. As their relationship progressed, Ferguson’s girlfriend became ‘scared’ of him, particularly when he had been drinking alcohol.
In December 2020, Ferguson brandished a knife and made threats to kill, but his partner did not support a prosecution for that incident, Ms Booth said. Defence barrister Sacha Waxman told the court that although Ferguson had pulled a knife out, he had threatened to harm himself rather than his girlfriend.
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During another incident, Ferguson turned up at the woman's Zumba class.
On March 7, he turned up at his victim’s Bredbury flat and asked for a drink. Despite asking him to leave, he turned up later that day before she discovered that he had a key cut.
Throughout their relationship, the court heard Ferguson made comments about his victim’s appearance that made her ‘upset’ and ‘uncomfortable. He also brought ‘another lady’ into her home.
At the start of May 2022, the victim noticed bank transfers between her accounts and Ferguson’s account. He also used her credit card.
His behaviour was uncovered following a call from a concerned caseworker to Greater Manchester Police. Ms Booth told the court Ferguson has a previous conviction relating to the abuse of a previous partner.
Ferguson, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship and committing fraud by false representation.
Defending, Dr Waxman described the early stages of their relationship as ‘much healthier’ and said that they provided ‘invaluable emotional support for one another’. She claimed that after a long period of abstinence, Ferguson started drinking again during the initial coronavirus lockdown.
Dr Waxman said that as his drinking spiralled, his ‘boundaries over acceptable behaviour blurred’. “It appears to be a case of Jekyll and Hyde,” she added.
In a victim personal statement, Ferguson’s victim stated that 'when he’s sober he’s nice', but that recently the 'bad outweighed the good.
Dr Waxman told the court Ferguson had his first drink when he was only four-years-old and was physically abused as a child. She added: “He does not minimise the effect which he had on his now ex-partner. He is devastated to know that she felt so bad for so long.”
Judge Recorder Neil Usher jailed Ferguson for 16 months. He said: “I accept that when you were sober and not drinking you were a kind and considerate partner.
“The problem in your case is what happens when you drink. During the course of the relationship, when you were drinking, you abused her, you controlled her and were coercive.”
Quoting the probation services pre-sentence report, Recorder Usher continued: “It is my view that he preys on vulnerable women and encourages them to form a relationship with him and then subjects them to abuse, which is emotional, psychological and physical.”
He added: “You have little remorse and little understanding, even when your sober, to your controlling and abusive behaviour to [the victim] and potentially other partners.”
Recorder Usher imposed a five-year restraining order prohibiting Ferguson from contacting his victim.
