A professional rugby league player was ‘jealous’ and controlled and dragged his girlfriend out to a club. He then took off her SmartWatch so she couldn’t dial 999 and threatened her with a knife.
Oldham RLFC prop forward Daniel Igbinedion attacked Katy Lyles, an insurance broker, on a number occasions during their relationship, a judge heard.
Blonde Miss Lyles, 35 years old, met 6ft2in Igbinedion in Shipley, West Yorkshire when he was a personal trainer at Nuffield Gym. It was located opposite her workplace.
They had a relationship that began, but Miss Lyles said that it soon became coercive.
“He would speak to my like I was a piece on his shoe – so discourteous,” she said to a jury from behind a screen in Bradford Crown Court. She claimed that he was jealous when she spoke with any other man at the gym, and that he ‘wanted all my attention’.
In December 2018 they went together to a Nuffield Christmas party in Liverpool, where Igbinedion told her she was ‘overdressed’ and ‘looked like a s**g’, Kate told the court.
Daniel Igbinedion, Oldham RLFC forward (pictured), 26 attacked Katy Lyles, an insurance broker, on a variety of occasions during their relationship. A court heard.
Because of his objections she wore a long, thick coat even though it was cold and she couldn’t go to the toilet because he watched every move.
After visiting several bars with Igbinedion’s bosses and colleagues, he suddenly decided that he wanted to go back to their hotel.
When she said that she wanted to stay out, ‘he got really mad’ and threw Miss Lyles on his shoulder.
“He got really mad. I was thrown off my feet, and he ran up the metal stairs on his back with me on top of him. I was afraid. He just manipulated me.
“He literally dragged my back to the hotel by his arm. I tried to call for help but he stole my mobile phone.
Miss Lyles at Bradford Crown Court (pictured) said that “He would speak to my like I was a piece of urine on his shoe – so discourteous.”
Miss Lyles claimed she had a smartwatch that would dial 999 if she touched it, but Igbinedion took it from her wrist.
After being dragged along the streets, a nightclub bouncer intervened. The security guard took her to safety, and then detained Igbinedion from Bingley until the police arrived.
Photographs of her badly bruised right wrist as well as bruised and grazed legs were shown to the jury.
Miss Lyles claimed that Igbinedion was obsessed about marrying her and hoped they would have children together. In fact, she even used her contraception in an attempt to increase her chances of getting pregnant.
Miss Lyles stated that he was obsessed with getting married and wanting to have children. I never wanted anything from him.
“He took my contraceptive tablets from me and threw them out. I’m not stupid. I got more and had them hidden in my laptop bag at work.
“I thought, “What a stupid little girl, why don’t you just leave?” There were so much red flags. But I accepted it and continued. I was afraid of him, I was terrified.
Blonde Miss Lyles (35), met 6ft 2in Igbinedion, when he began as a personal coach at Nuffield Gym (pictured), Shipley West Yorkshire. This was right next to her workplace
He punched the steering wheel of his car so hard, he bent it in half.
She claimed that he was angry and made her feel like “the Devil” so she drove away from the gym in her Fiat 500 in fear, while he followed her in his BMW ‘tailgating”, until she finally pulled up in Ilkley.
She told the jury she was so afraid he would attack she that she considered throwing herself off a bridge onto a railway track.
Miss Lyles took photos showing her injuries, including her bruised and grazed knees as well as the bruising around her neck.
She said, “The man tried to kill me.” He tried to strangle my neck.
She also drew an image of a flip-knife, which she claimed he threatened to harm her with.
Igbinedion was found guilty on three counts of assault as well as a charge of coercive conduct.
He was taken into custody and will be sentenced in December.