A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in prison after a court found him guilty of carrying out a prolonged campaign of domestic abuse that subjected his former partner to months of physical violence, intimidation and controlling behaviour in Rochester, Kent.
Dean Foord received the prison sentence at Canterbury Crown Court after prosecutors proved he repeatedly abused the woman over a six-month period, severely restricting her freedom and using fear to dominate her daily life.
During the trial, the court heard that Foord isolated the victim from her relatives and friends by preventing her from communicating with them. He closely monitored her social media activity, insisted she obtain his permission before leaving their home, and repeatedly stopped her from owning a mobile phone by damaging any handset she acquired. In one instance, he forced her to sell her phone to settle one of his drug-related debts.
The prosecution also detailed several violent attacks carried out by Foord. Evidence presented in court showed he dragged the woman by her neck, knocked her to the floor and repeatedly slammed her head against the ground. In another disturbing incident, he locked her inside a room and ordered her to bark like a dog before allowing her to leave.
Investigators further revealed that Foord spent the victim’s money on gambling, illegal drugs, alcohol and scratch cards, worsening the financial and emotional abuse she suffered throughout the relationship.
The court also heard that Foord recorded a video in which he threatened the woman with a knife while telling her he intended to kill her. On another occasion, he threw a bucket of dirty water over her during the course of the abuse.
Police arrested Foord at his home in December 2025 after discovering him hiding inside a refrigerator in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid arrest.
Body-worn camera footage presented during the investigation showed Foord repeatedly asking officers to “be nice” because he claimed to have a broken foot. Officers instructed him to come out before taking him into custody.
Although Foord denied the allegations, he was convicted of actual bodily harm, criminal damage, threats to kill, common assault, controlling and coercive behaviour, and possession of cocaine.
Reacting to the judgment, Police Constable George Fisher described Foord as a violent individual who relied on intimidation, fear and physical abuse to control his victim. He also commended the survivor for her bravery in reporting the offences and supporting the investigation, which ultimately led to Foord’s conviction and imprisonment.
