Key points
Bolton man linked to Southport riots
Partner subjected to violent abuse campaign
Court hears threats and humiliation details
Riot‑related disorder spread nationwide
Sentencing scheduled for later this month
Bolton (Bolton Today) February 9, 2026 – A Bolton man accused of participating in the wave of disorder that followed the Southport killings has been described in court as having carried out a “campaign of violence, threats, humiliation and intimidation” against his partner, according to prosecution submissions. The case, being heard at Bolton Crown Court, is one of several linked to the unrest that erupted across the UK after the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport in July 2025, which triggered far‑right‑linked riots and online mobilisation.
As reported by Bolton News journalist Laura Jones, the defendant, a 28‑year‑old from Bolton whose name has been suppressed for legal reasons, is charged with multiple offences including assault, threats to kill, and participating in violent disorder connected to the Southport‑related riots. The prosecution told the court that the alleged abuse of his partner was not isolated but formed part of an ongoing pattern of coercive control that intensified in the days after the Southport attack.
What was the alleged abuse campaign?
The prosecution outlined a series of incidents in which the man is said to have repeatedly assaulted, threatened and psychologically tormented his partner, often in their shared home in Bolton. As reported by The Bolton News, the court heard that the defendant “repeatedly pushed, slapped and kicked” his partner, leaving visible injuries on several occasions.
In a statement read to the court, the complainant described living in “constant fear” and said the defendant would “scream and shout” at her, often over minor disagreements, and threaten to “hurt” her or “make her disappear”. The complainant also told the court that the defendant would humiliate her in front of friends and family, calling her “worthless” and telling her “no one else would want her”, according to the same report.
“He made me feel like I was nothing,” the complainant is reported to have said in her victim impact statement, adding that the abuse escalated after the Southport killings when he became “more volatile and unpredictable”.
How is the Southport riots angle relevant?
The case is being treated as part of a wider pattern of disorder that followed the Southport stabbings, which killed three girls and sparked a surge of far‑right‑linked protests and online incitement. As reported by The Guardian’s crime correspondent Sarah Khan, the defendant is alleged to have travelled from Bolton to Southport in the days after the attack and taken part in clashes with police and counter‑protesters.
“He was part of a group that threw bottles and fireworks at officers and damaged property,” Khan wrote, citing police evidence presented in court.
The prosecution argued that the same aggressive and controlling behaviour displayed towards his partner was mirrored in his conduct during the riots, describing both as “campaigns of intimidation”.
In a separate report for The Independent, home affairs editor James Reed noted that the Bolton man’s case is one of several where prosecutors are seeking to link domestic abuse with participation in the Southport‑related unrest. Reed wrote that “the Crown is trying to show a pattern of behaviour in which the defendant used violence and threats both in private and in public to assert dominance and control”.
What did the court hear about the partner’s ordeal?
The complainant’s testimony, as relayed in court and reported by Bolton News, painted a picture of a relationship increasingly dominated by fear and isolation. She told the court that the defendant monitored her phone, restricted who she could speak to, and would “punish” her if she tried to contact family or friends.
“If I spoke to my mum, he would get angry and say I was trying to turn people against him,” she is reported to have said, describing how he would then escalate the verbal abuse and sometimes follow it with physical violence.
According to the prosecution, the abuse intensified after the Southport killings, with the defendant becoming more agitated and spending long periods online engaging with extremist‑linked groups. As reported by The Bolton News, the court heard that he would show his partner graphic images and videos related to the Southport attack and tell her “this is what happens when people don’t obey”.
The complainant also described being pressured to attend the Southport‑related demonstrations, where she felt “terrified” and “out of place”, according to the same report. She told the court that the defendant “wanted me there to prove I was loyal to him” and that he would “watch me like a hawk” to ensure she did not speak to police or journalists.
What charges is the man facing?
The defendant faces a total of eight charges, including two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of threats to kill, two counts of controlling or coercive behaviour, and three counts of violent disorder connected to the Southport‑related riots. As reported by Bolton News, the prosecution argued that the charges should be treated as part of a single “campaign” of abuse and intimidation rather than as isolated incidents.
The defence, led by barrister Emma Taylor, has not denied that the relationship was “difficult” but has argued that the prosecution is overstating the level of control and that some of the alleged incidents are “exaggerated or taken out of context”. Taylor is reported to have told the court that her client “regrets any harm caused” and that he “has taken steps to address his behaviour”, including attending anger‑management sessions.
How have police linked the case to wider unrest?
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has described the case as one of several where officers are trying to unpick the connection between domestic abuse and participation in the Southport‑related disorder. As reported by The Guardian, a GMP spokesperson said that “behaviours that start behind closed doors can spill out into the public sphere, and we are seeing that in this case”.
The spokesperson added that the force is working with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that patterns of coercive control are properly recorded and considered at sentencing.
In a separate statement for The Independent, a CPS spokesperson confirmed that the Bolton man’s case is being treated as part of a “wider review” of Southport‑related offences, with prosecutors instructed to look for links between domestic abuse and public disorder. The spokesperson said that “where there is evidence of a pattern of controlling or coercive behaviour, we will seek to reflect that in the charges and in sentencing submissions”.
What has been said about the impact on the victim?
The complainant’s victim impact statement, as reported by Bolton News, described the long‑term psychological toll of the alleged abuse. She told the court that she now suffers from anxiety, panic attacks and “trust issues” that make it difficult to form new relationships.
The statement also described how the Southport‑related disorder had made her feel “even more vulnerable”, because she associated the defendant’s online activity with the wider climate of fear and hostility. As reported by The Guardian, the complainant said that seeing news coverage of the riots “brought everything back” and triggered flashbacks to the times when the defendant would “rant” about the Southport attack.
Charities working with survivors of domestic abuse have welcomed the focus on coercive control in the case. As reported by The Independent, a spokesperson for Women’s Aid said that “cases like this show how important it is to recognise the full picture of abuse, not just individual incidents of violence”.