‘Sadistic’ Abuser Jailed for 15 Years After Terrorising Pregnant Partner and New Mother

​MANCHESTER — A 22-year-old man who subjected his former partner to a horrifying, prolonged campaign of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse—beginning while she was heavily pregnant and continuing after the birth of their newborn child—has been handed a 15-year custodial sentence.

​Judge Jon Close branded the behavior of Elliot Bulman, of Peel Hall Road, Wythenshawe, as “sadistic and misogynistic”, stating that his actions formed a calculated campaign of domination meant to systematically break down his victim’s identity and independence.

​The victim, who partially waived her legal right to anonymity to expose the gravity of her ordeal, endured months of intense surveillance and terror. Bolton Crown Court heard that Bulman tightly regulated her finances, dictated her wardrobe, tracked her social media accounts, and restricted her movements. In a sign of extreme control, he even attempted to block her from receiving proper medical care, objecting to her being examined by any male doctor. On separate occasions, he trapped her indoors while he went out drinking.

​The violence escalated rapidly from psychological dominance to physical brutality during her pregnancy. While the couple was carrying furniture upstairs, Bulman struck her back with a set of drawers—sending her crashing to the floor—before dragging her viciously by the hair.

​The terror did not relent after their baby was born. The young mother testified that Bulman frequently attacked her and threw objects while she cradled their infant in her arms, alongside issuing explicit threats to kill both her and the child.

​In a degradation of profound cruelty, Bulman spat in her face while she held her newborn, forcing her to sit unmoving with the saliva on her skin for 45 minutes as punishment because he claimed she was “disgusting and deserved to feel disgusting”. Much of the abuse unfolded directly in front of the infant.

​Driven to desperation, the survivor eventually managed to flee the family home with little more than the clothes on her back. Even flight did not deter him; Bulman later tracked her down to her workplace, prompting staff to urgently call the police.

​Bulman previously pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behavior and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Following a rigorous trial, a jury additionally convicted him of two rapes, four counts of causing sexual activity, assault by penetration, making threats to kill, and four separate strangulation offenses.

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​Throughout judicial proceedings, Bulman refused to accept accountability, stubbornly maintaining that his victim had “provoked” him. Judge Close noted that the offender displayed an absolute absence of empathy or remorse.

​In a harrowing victim impact statement read before the court, the survivor detailed the permanent, profound shadow cast over her life and motherhood. She expressed that while the guilty verdicts brought validation to her living nightmare, no judicial penalty could ever reverse the catastrophic damage inflicted upon her health, well-being, and early experiences of raising her child.

​Assessed as presenting an exceptionally high risk of future sexual offending and severe harm to potential future partners, Bulman received an extended sentence for public protection. He must serve a minimum of two-thirds of his 15-year prison sentence behind bars before he can even be evaluated for release by the Parole Board. Upon any eventual release, he will remain bound by licence conditions for an additional five years.