Man jailed 16 years for breaking partner’s neck

Jury convicts after violent assault left victim paralysed and needing lifelong care.

A 57-year-old man has been jailed for 16 years after breaking his partner’s neck during a violent assault that left her paralysed from the chest down.

Robert Easom, a landscape gardener, received a 16-year custodial sentence with a four-year extended licence period at Preston Crown Court on 27 February 2026. A jury found him guilty of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm following a trial.

The attack took place on 17 February 2025 after Easom’s partner attempted to end their relationship. Prosecutors said Easom reacted with violence, culminating in him pushing down on her head with such force that he broke her neck.

Alison Wolstenholme of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North West said Easom acted “in a fit of rage”, pushing his partner’s head down with force that changed her life permanently.

The couple had been in a relationship for around eight years before the assault. The court heard that the relationship initially started well but deteriorated over time. Easom became verbally abusive, criticising and belittling his partner. He alternated between affectionate behaviour and verbal or physical aggression.

Prosecutors described this as a pattern of coercive control. Easom would behave lovingly and then lash out, causing fear and confusion.

The violence escalated in the years leading up to the final assault. In 2021, Easom wrapped a bedsheet around his partner’s head, causing her to struggle to breathe. In January 2025, after a disagreement, he accelerated a vehicle rapidly to frighten her before performing an emergency stop just before a wall. He then headbutted her and scraped her face with his stubble.

On 17 February 2025, his partner calmly told him she believed ending the relationship was for the best due to their frequent arguments. Easom responded by shouting at her and accusing her of causing conflict. He pushed her forcefully against a headboard and grabbed her throat.

He left the room briefly before returning. Shouting at her to “shut the f*** up”, he pushed her head down with significant force. The force of the push broke her neck.

After initially failing to seek help, Easom eventually called an ambulance. He told the operator that his partner had fallen out of bed.

She was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital, where doctors diagnosed a broken neck. Surgeons performed an operation to restore spinal alignment. However, the neurological damage could not be repaired. She was left tetraplegic and now requires round-the-clock care.

Easom was arrested and later gave a prepared statement in police interview, claiming that they had been playfighting.

On the first day of his trial at Preston Crown Court, Easom pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm and one count of controlling or coercive behaviour. He admitted breaking his partner’s neck but denied intending to cause serious harm.

The prosecution did not accept that position. Alison Wolstenholme said the evidence did not allow the CPS to consider accepting that Easom had not intended serious harm. The CPS proceeded to trial on the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The jury convicted Easom of that offence.

Wolstenholme said the victim had shown “incredible strength” throughout the prosecution. She stated that the victim’s support enabled the CPS to present the strongest possible case.

The court imposed a 16-year prison sentence together with a four-year extended licence period. Easom will remain subject to supervision following his release.