A 38-year-old man from Smethwick faces two years and three months in prison after admitting to controlling and coercive behavior and stalking that caused serious alarm to his former partner.
Peter Ellery, of Shenstone Road, manipulated and terrorized the woman during their relationship and continued harassing her after the breakup. He restricted her social interactions, accused her of infidelity even during nighttime bathroom visits, and threatened suicide if she left him.
Escalating Threats Post-Breakup
Once the relationship ended, Ellery bombarded her with menacing messages. He warned, “I will make Raoul Moat look like a f***ing minor,” referencing the 2010 gunman who shot his ex-partner, killed her new boyfriend, injured a police officer, and later took his own life in Northumberland.
Ellery claimed he was “watching your every move,” tracked details like her toilet paper usage, showed her weapons, and boasted about possessing guns. He contacted her family, vowed to “destroy” her life, and threatened a friend by saying he would find her and shoot everyone in the house.
Even after police intervention and a no-contact order, Ellery persisted with abusive texts, calling her a “grass” and questioning her safety and that of her new partner. The victim reported feeling suffocated, scared to leave home, degraded, and worthless.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Birmingham Crown Court sentenced Ellery on February 6. Judge Sarah Buckingham condemned his actions as “appalling,” labeling him a narcissist with low self-esteem who blames others for his issues. She stated: “You are a narcissist, that means you love yourself more than anyone else. You are self-obsessed and blame everyone else but yourself for your own predicament. You are an insecure man with low self-esteem.”
Prosecutor Matthew Wyatt detailed how Ellery prevented her from leaving the house, constantly checked her phone, isolated her from male friends, and destroyed property like burning clothes and smashing items when angered.
Defense counsel Amrita Marwaha noted Ellery’s embarrassment over his conduct, attributing it partly to drug use. She highlighted his completion of a warehouse course in custody and plans to relocate from the Birmingham area. The judge challenged his disability claim for benefits, pointing out his prison work capability.
Judge Buckingham warned: “Until you accept your flaws and weaknesses in your own personality and until you accept responsibility you will always be a risk to women like her or future partners.” Ellery, with over 50 prior offenses, now faces a restraining order barring contact with the victim.
