Relief for mother as abusive ex-partner ordered to stay away for life

Darrell Ainsworth, age 31, of Low Street, Wolverhampton, was handed a lifelong restraining order at the city’s Crown Court yesterday as well as eight and a half months in prison for two counts of harassment and breaching the previous restraining order, which was due to last until 2025.

His ex-partner Yvonne Turner, who Ainsworth shares an 18-month-old son with, had complained to the courts after she received more than a dozen harassing messages over the course of a few hours under the fake name of Christopher Lewis.

Prosecutor Lee Egan said Ms Turner was forced to escape her home in Wolverhampton and move away from her friends and family due to Ainsworth’s past abusive behaviour.

He said: “She says every day is a nightmare, she goes to sleep scared. She just wants him to leave her alone, her anxiety eats her up every day.”

Speaking to the Express & Star, Ms Turner said she is ‘relieved’ Ainsworth will no longer be able to contact her without further, harsher consequences

She now lives away from Wolverhampton with her baby son Noah, and her four-year-old daughter Sienna after escaping to a refuge in September 2020.

“I’m glad he got it for life,” she said.

“It proves he’s a dangerous man. I just wanted other women and men to realise that if they keep saying something, help is out there. I don’t want anyone else to go through this.

“I don’t want my children to go to sleep scared.”

Initially Ainsworth had pleaded not guilty to the charges but changed his plea to guilty two weeks before the trial was due to start.

Defending him, Douglas James said Ainsworth had told him he suffered with his mental health.

He added: “He is not in work due to the severity of his mental health, but he is stable on medication.

“He is anxious to see Noah and he asked me to give his apologies to her [Ms Turner] through the court.

“He has a new partner now who is supportive, and a daughter with her. She also has three other children who he sees as his own.

“He wants very much to move on and allow the complainant to move on.”

The court heard how Ainsworth had previous convictions of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and also having a weapon.

Sentencing him Recorder David Mason said: “Thankfully you changed your plea 15 days before the trial which prevented Yvonne Turner from coming to court to give evidence.

“I’m glad you have realised at long last, finally, that the relationship is over.

“Because if you contact her [Ms Turner] and I see you here in front of me again then you will get a much longer sentence.

“These were very serious breaches.

“You have to realise that when something is over, it’s over.

“It’s down to you now. Get on with your new life, with your new girlfriend.

“See your son through the proper channels – through the family court – but stay away from Yvonne Turner.”