{"id":3254,"date":"2026-05-23T08:52:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T08:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/terrified-woman-forced-to-grab-knife-and-flee-home-after-happy-birthday-text\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T08:52:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T08:52:44","slug":"terrified-woman-forced-to-grab-knife-and-flee-home-after-happy-birthday-text","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/terrified-woman-forced-to-grab-knife-and-flee-home-after-happy-birthday-text\/","title":{"rendered":"Terrified woman forced to grab knife and flee home after &#8216;Happy Birthday&#8217; text"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_1c1e1b\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Liam Labourne, 34, slapped, punched and suffocated his terrified girlfriend after he found a text message on her phone he didn&#8217;t like, a court heard<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37196057\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Liam Labourne was handed a three-year sentence at Hull Crown Court\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_violent.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Liam Labourne was handed a three-year sentence at Hull Crown Court\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Liam Labourne was handed a three-year sentence at Hull Crown Court<cite aria-label=\"Image: Hull Live\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Hull Live)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A terrified woman was forced to grab a knife and flee after her violent and controlling boyfriend tried to go through her phone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Liam Labourne slapped, punched and suffocated his girlfriend after finding a message on her mobile phone from a man wishing her &#8220;Happy Birthday&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Labourne, 34, of Dulverton Close, Bransholme, Hull, regularly hit and intimidated the woman, including when he obsessively went through her phone and found pictures and messages he did not like, a <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"courtLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/courts\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">court<\/a> heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Labourne <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"admittedLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/crime\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">admitted<\/a> using controlling and coercive behaviour in Scunthorpe between January 1 and August 4, 2024. He pleaded guilty on the day of a scheduled trial at Hull Crown Court. Other charges were dropped, <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk\/news\/local-news\/terrified-woman-forced-cower-behind-10978060\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Grimsby Live reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37196056\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37196056\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Liam Labourne launched a terrifying assault on his girlfriend, the court heard\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3_violent.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Liam Labourne slapped, punched and suffocated his girlfriend, a court heard\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Liam Labourne slapped, punched and suffocated his girlfriend, a court heard<cite aria-label=\"Image: Hull Live\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Hull Live)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_9d2dcd\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37195926\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/wolstanton-car-crash-man-dies-37195926\" tabindex=\"0\">Driver kills friend in 76mph high street crash as passenger thrown through sun roof<\/a><\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_9d2dcd\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37195571\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/morrisons-knife-rampage-bradford-court-37195571\" tabindex=\"0\">Morrisons evacuated as man with 6-inch knife goes on &#8216;rampage&#8217; and shoppers flee<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ben Weeks, prosecuting, said Labourne and the woman, 26, started a relationship at the end of August 2023. Her sister noticed a change in her and in early 2024 she contacted the police who then made a welfare check.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">This was &#8220;the start of things going wrong&#8221; and Labourne hit her for the first time, telling her: &#8220;Your family are all snitches.&#8221; Things got much worse after this and Labourne hit her, damaged her home and smashed mobile phones and other items.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;He would verbally abuse her, calling her names,&#8221; said Mr Weeks. The woman felt she could not go out without Labourne and he wanted to escort her everywhere.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Any time that she was without him, he would call and text her continually, calling her friends and her family to find out her whereabouts,&#8221; said Mr Weeks. Labourne accessed and went through her phone routinely and sent himself screenshots of pictures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;He would assault her if he was unhappy with what he found,&#8221; said Mr Weeks. He slapped his girlfriend on July 14, 2024 after he grabbed her mobile phone and she challenged him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">On July 29, 2024, Labourne looked at her phone and discovered another male had wished her &#8220;Happy Birthday&#8221; in a message. He slapped her in the face, punched her in the ribs and suffocated her by pushing her head into her bed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;When she refused to allow him to go through her phone, he smashed it on a table,&#8221; said Mr Weeks. &#8220;She was so terrified that she fled, taking a knife with her for protection.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;She cowered behind bins in her underwear to hide from him. She waited until he left before re-entering and barricading herself in as he kicked at her door and climbed up to her bathroom window, shouting that he wanted his jacket.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Eventually, he left. Following this, she received a number of calls from an unknown number that she believed to be him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">On August 4, 2024, she was heading to the shops in Scunthorpe at about 8am when Labourne approached and got into her car while holding a baseball bat. &#8220;He was shouting at her and he told her to drive somewhere for a chat,&#8221; said Mr Weeks. &#8220;She felt frightened. As they drove, he punched her to her arm. He continued with the verbal abuse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The pair were later approached by the woman&#8217;s ex-boyfriend at a Scunthorpe supermarket and there was an argument between the two men. The police were called to the scene.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The woman was now a &#8220;shell of herself&#8221; and felt &#8220;scarred for life&#8221;. She had trust issues and felt worthless and stressed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Labourne had convictions for eight previous offences. These included assault, involving punching a girlfriend&#8217;s arm in October 2013, as well as criminal damage in April 2010 and January 2016.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The first incident involved him threatening a former girlfriend with a hammer and damaging her vehicle with it. The second involved him throwing and damaging a coffee table and a mobile phone. He also had offences of breaching a non-molestation order in March 2010 and April 2016.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Nadim Bashir, mitigating, said that Labourne pleaded guilty, avoiding the need for the woman to relive her experiences at a trial. Labourne had previously spent time in custody on remand before being allowed bail. He was now in a new relationship and he and his girlfriend had a child aged about two months. He had been working.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Labourne, who had been on bail, was jailed for three years. He was given a seven-year restraining order and will have to pay a \u00a3228 victims&#8217; surcharge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"http:\/\/womensaid.co.uk\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">womensaid.co.uk<\/a>. If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"http:\/\/www.aafda.org.uk\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">www.aafda.org.uk<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/crime-controlling-behaviour-liam-labourne-37196071\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Liam Labourne, 34, slapped, punched and suffocated his terrified girlfriend after he found a text<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_violent.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}