R v Patryk Procyk

Facts

The appellant, Patryk Procyk, met the complainant ("C") on 13 January 2024 in a McDonald's in North Acton, where he was sleeping as he was then homeless. Their friendship became a sexual relationship which C described as good until February 2024, when the appellant became aggressive and controlling: he criticised her make-up, prevented her going out without him, followed her to the train station and left her too frightened to leave home. He punched her to the stomach at a cinema, slept outside her house and threw stones at her window, and dragged her by the wrist to the train station. C moved to Leeds to escape him, but the abuse resumed when she invited him to stay; he took her mobile telephone and, when made to leave, threw snowballs at her windows and banged on the door. On 7 and 8 February 2025 at her Leeds home he was verbally abusive and assaulted her twice, grabbing her face, hitting her arms and body and slapping her leg, causing significant bruising seen by police on 10 February 2025. Convicted at the Magistrates' Court on four counts, he was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court by Mr Recorder Simon Jackson KC to three years for controlling and coercive behaviour, with concurrent terms for two assaults and stalking. The single judge granted leave to appeal against sentence.