"You can ask for help" - A woman's important message

“You can ask for help” – This is the message a woman has asked us to share following the sentencing of a man for offences including assault, intentional strangulation and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Earlier this month, Tom Horn, 33, was jailed for 32 months after pleading guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of intentional strangulation, one count of intentional suffocation, and one count of controlling and coercive behaviour. He was also issued with an indefinite restraining order.

Tom Horn

The offences happened over a period between March 2022 and December 2025 and included Horn assaulting the victim, slamming a door on her foot, damaging property that belonged to her and stealing money from her.

The victim of the offences, who reported the offending to police in June 2025, has spoken about the impact of what happened, but also about how she is now rebuilding her life and her important message to others who are in similar circumstances to ask for help.

She said: “I still struggle daily with my mental health and lots of things still massively trigger me. I also suffer a lot of anxiety when going out.

“But I now know that it was not my fault. I think it is important to highlight that I now know I did not deserve any of the things that happened to me and I am not worthless. I am slowly but surely rebuilding myself and my life.

“I wanted to break the cycle of what was happening which is why I broke my silence and reported to police. It is so important that people know they can ask for help. The support is there. Please do talk to someone.”

Officer in the case, Police Constable Waqar Elahi said: “I know the courage it took for the victim in this investigation to speak to police but doing this helped her receive the right support and to bring the offender before the courts. The message being shared by the victim today is an extremely important one and I fully appreciate her bravery in doing this.

“My thanks also go to partner organisations who helped in providing the right support to the victim involved.

“Please know that if you are a victim of similar offending, help and support is available to you. Please speak to someone you can trust. If you feel comfortable to, you can report to police by calling 101 or reporting online at www.leics.police.uk. Always call 999 in an emergency.”

Horn was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday 9 June.