First he made her feel ‘worthless’, then started turning up at her door

'Wait until I get my hands on you'

A man who made derogatory comments about his girlfriend, pressured her for money and became abusive if she went out with friends began harassing her after she left him.

After they separated, Adam Hussey, 25, turned up outside a hospital she was attending for an appointment and didn’t leave until the early hours.

Then after repeatedly calling her, he turned up at her door causing her to leave all the lights off and remain silent until she thought he left.

When she went to eventually leave the house he approached her after he’d been hiding around the corner and fought with her as she tried to get into a taxi. She was able to leave after neighbours intervened.

Hussey, of Newton Heath, was jailed after admitting engaging in controlling behaviour and harassment.

Hussey and the woman had been together for a month when his behaviour turned toxic. He made derogatory comments about her clothes if he thought they were too revealing, and told her: “Who are you trying to impress” when she put on make up.

He became argumentative and abusive when she went out to meet her friends or go on social media. He would also send her pictures of him harming himself when she wanted to leave the relationship, prosecutor Katie Walden said.

Hussey would put her under pressure to give him money and threatened her. They eventually separated, and she moved address out of fear for her safety.

“On November 12 2024, she was at a hospital appointment when he messaged her asking her to collect his bag from Morrisons. She said no as she was at the appointment and he became irate,” said the prosecutor.

“He told her she was dead, and such was her fear that she was taken to a private room. He told her he would ‘punch her up’, and said: “Wait until I get my hands on you.”

Security personnel at the hospital confirmed he was outside and walking up and down the grounds. She remained there until the early hours of the morning when he left. The next day he messaged her to apologise, but then began sending images of self harm and said: “You hurt me so much.”

Days later, he called her 69 times. As a result she packed a bag and began to book an Uber when she heard him outside her house. He was banging on the door and shouting, the court heard.

“She cancelled the Uber as she didn’t feel confident that she would be able to leave the property with him there,” said Ms Walden. “She waited inside for 20 minutes with all the lights off making no noise whilst he continued to knock on her door.

“Once the banging stopped, she ordered another Uber and went to leave when he approached her from round the corner asking: ‘Where the f*** are you going?’”

There was a struggle as she tried to get back into her house before she tried to go for the taxi. He told her: “If you get in that taxi, all your windows are going through.”

He then threatened the taxi driver: “If I see you here again, I’m going to get your head punched in.” Neighbours then came out onto the street, and Hussey ran away.

In a statement, the woman said she doesn’t go out anymore, and her friendships have deteriorated. “I feel so isolated and I’m even scared of taking my children to the park,” she said.

“I have become insecure and self conscious. I used to be bubbly and outgoing, then I felt worthless.”

The court heard that Hussey had eight convictions for 15 offences, including harassment. His barrister, Emma Swindell said he was suffering with mental health issues at the time, which were exacerbated by his cannabis use.

Jailing Hussey, of Croydon Drive, for 18 months, the Recorder of Manchester, Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: “Your behaviour towards her both during and subsequently to the relationship ending, was appalling. Your behaviour got worse and intensified and made a misery of her life.”

He was also banned from contacting his ex and her mum under the terms of a restraining order.