A cowardly thug dragged his girlfriend along Herne Bay pier and threatened to throw her into the sea during a campaign of controlling abuse.

Stuart McMahon subjected his partner to coercion and sometimes violence, which culminated in the harrowing ordeal on the town’s landmark, during which he asked her: “Can you swim?”

The 48-year-old also attacked her with a dog lead, held a blade to her throat, and regularly subjected her to threats and financial abuse during their one-year relationship.

Prosecutor Doug Scott told Canterbury Crown Court last Thursday how, on one occasion, McMahon threatened to toss the woman into deep water.

“They drove to Herne Bay Pier, where the defendant dragged the victim out of the vehicle and she was scared the defendant was going to throw her in the sea because he was saying ‘Can you swim?’,” said Mr Scott.

“The defendant then threw her car keys into the sea, the victim got out of the vehicle and he drove off.

“She was left without money, a phone and no car keys.”

During another fit of rage, McMahon, of no fixed abode, held a large carving knife to her throat.

On another occasion, he threw a thick leather dog lead with a buckle into her face.

“It hit the woman on the left side of her head and caused blood to pour down her face,” continued Mr Scott.

“She drove herself to hospital where the medical staff had to glue the injury back together.

“The victim didn’t return home that evening because she was too scared and checked herself into a hotel instead.”

Such was the regularity of McMahon’s rage, his victim and her 19-year-old daughter were forced to flee to a hotel twice a week.

But tragically, physical violence was just one of several ways he thug sought to control his partner between May 2022 and July 2023.

At a sentencing hearing on March 14, Mr Scott told how during the relationship threats, name-calling and financial abuse occurred daily.

They drove to Herne Bay Pier where the defendant dragged Ms Pearce out of the vehicle and she was scared the defendant was going to throw her in the sea...

“He also made sure she was never alone and would go everywhere with him,” he explained.

“The defendant also threatened to set the victim’s and her family’s houses on fire.

“The woman describes that she had to move her 13-year-old daughter out of the house and at the time of writing her first statement (on July 17, 2023) she had not seen this daughter for two months.

“She notes that the defendant didn’t want the victim seeing or having a relationship with her children. She also says that she doesn’t see her friends or her family anymore.”

At previous hearings, McMahon had pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour, inflicting grievous bodily harm and sending electronic communication with intent to cause distress.

He also admitted two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards police officers, failing to provide a specimen of breath when being required to do so and driving while disqualified.

At the time of the sentencing hearing, McMahon had been in custody for 239 days.

McMahon’s lawyer Phil Rowley argued his client should be handed a suspended sentence to allow for his immediate release from custody.

He stressed during the time of offending McMahon suffered several family bereavements, but Judge Simon Taylor KC rejected the excuse.

Mr Rowley also added that his client “has historically been a man who works, trading motor vehicles”, and upon his release would look to get back into this line of work.

He also read in court references from people speaking positively about McMahon’s character.

But Judge Taylor ordered that McMahon should remain behind bars.

Addressing him directly in the dock, Judge Taylor said: “You were in a relationship and during that relationship you were controlling and abusive.

“There came a point where your use of violence towards her escalated. Having been drinking all day you hit her in the head with a dog lead.

“You ruined this woman’s family life, and in doing so you didn’t just create one victim, you created many - a 13-year-old deserves to have a relationship with their mother.”

McMahon was jailed for two years and nine months and handed a seven year restraining order.

When he is released from prison, he will be banned from driving for an additional three years.