Southampton man who beat up partner spared jail to sell home

Ian Lane, 60, of Sheridan Close hurled verbal abuse at his girlfriend Sharon Harris, something Southampton Crown Court was told was a regular occurrence.

The court was told how she used to be a “happy person full of life”, planned her funeral as a result of the abusive relationship.

Ian Lane, 60, leaving Southampton Crown Court (Image: Jose Ramos, Newsquest)

Prosecuting, Keeley Harvey told the court in May 2023 that the two of them were arguing about money when he started calling her names, before he punched her in a way that was “forceful enough for her to see stars”.

A recording of the incident was played in court where Sharon is heard crying in agony moments after the punch.

The court was told how eight months later, during a police interview, she still had a lump on her hand and struggled to do day-to-day tasks like lifting a pan.

The abuse was reported after Sharon mentioned the incident to her mental health practitioner.

In a victim statement read out in court, she spoke of how before the relationship she was “a happy person full of life and passions with a spring in my step”.

However, following this, she said: “I am frightened to go out. I now have to check in with my daughter every day.

“I tell her when I go to walk the dog and return when I go to work. I don’t go out at night and when I’m home I check everything at home.

“It has completely changed my life.”

Ian Lane, 60, leaving Southampton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest, Jose Ramos)

It was heard she now has alarms and cameras at her home as well as place trip hazards on the gate to her back garden to stop intruders.

She added: “I have had to plan my funeral with my daughter and family as he told me he would kill me."

A statement read out on behalf of Sharon’s daughter said her mum “is not the same mum I knew”, adding she “used to be the life of the party”.

The court heard how Lane, who pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm, has 14 convictions for 26 offences and previously had a non-molestation order taken out against him by the same person.

Mitigating, Chris Gaiger, said his client is “remorseful” and regrets what happened adding that his father’s death six months before “clearly affected him”.

Judge Christopher Parker KC said: “This was an assault upon a woman by a man and this is completely unforgivable.”

He added: “The situation is made worse because it was a beating of a woman in the home. It’s supposed to be a place of safety. You should be there to protect her, not beat her”

He said due to a range of factors including the sale of the couple's home he would be given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years, and told to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work in the community.