Violent man who strangled partner has sentence increased
James Wheatley-Taylor, of Daventry, had his sentence increased from five years to a nine-year extended sentence after the Solicitor General referred his case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The nine-year term comprises five years’ imprisonment plus a four-year extended license period, following his convictions for criminal damage, intentional strangulation and arson; the original sentence also included a 10-year restraining order. The court heard he assaulted his ex-partner in Hartlepool on 10 April 2025, strangling her for 40 seconds, and later that month attempted to set fire to her flat, causing burns to her hand; he has 21 convictions for 31 offences, with two linked to prior domestic violence incidents. The victim spoke of mental health issues resulting from the abuse, and the Solicitor General welcomed the decision as part of tackling domestic abuse.
Violent man with history of domestic abuse has his sentence increased following the Solicitor’s intervention after he strangled ex-partner.
James Wheatley-Taylor, from Daventry in West Northamptonshire, had his sentence increased from five years to an extended sentence of nine years comprising of five years imprisonment with a four-year extended license period, after the Solicitor General referred his case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
The court heard that Wheatley-Taylor assaulted his ex-partner in her home in Hartlepool on 10 April 2025, squeezing her neck and restricting her breathing for 40 seconds.
In a second incident later that same month on 25 April, Wheatley-Taylor attempted to set fire to the victim’s flat after she had asked him to leave her home following a row. His ex-partner suffered burns to her hand.
Before these incidents, Wheatley-Taylor had smashed the victim’s windows. He also had 21 convictions for 31 offences, with two convictions connected to previous domestic violence incidents.
In a Victim Personal Statement, the victim said that she suffers from mental health issues as a result of the abuse and now struggles to trust people.
The Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC MP said:
James Wheatley-Taylor is a violent man with a history of domestic violence. He brutally assaulted his ex-partner before attempting to set fire to her flat, which could have led to fatal consequences.
I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to increase his sentence following my referral. As Solicitor General, I will continue to tackle domestic abuse and I would like to commend the victim for the bravery she has shown throughout this traumatic ordeal.
On 3 December at Grimsby Crown Court, James Wheatley-Taylor was sentenced to five years for criminal damage, intentional strangulation and arson offences. He also received a 10-year restraining order.
On 31 March 2026, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to an extended sentence of 9-years comprising of 5 years imprisonment with a 4-year extended license period
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/violent-man-who-strangled-partner-has-sentence-increased
