After their secret, abusive relationship turned violent, a prison officer became ‘obsessed with’ a rapist inmate and lost their unborn child.
‘Manipulative’ ex-con Kade Sibthorpe, 29, was arrested after punching his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach and threatening her at knifepoint at their Manchester home last December.
Sibthorpe, Greater Manchester’s Sinton, forced his lover to drive them up into the moorland in only her dressing gown, slippers, and became violent as they waited outside a Tesco Express Oldham.
Sibthorpe was taken into custody days after his girlfriend ended her pregnancy. However, his victim continued to contact Sibthorpe, sending him naked photos and using a false name while she was in custody.
He was sentenced to 21 months behind bars after being convicted of coercive control at a Manchester court, after jurors heard how he called his lover a ‘sl**’ or ‘dog’, and went through her personal possessions. He was cleared of the charges of procuring a miscarriage or kidnapping.
In his victim statement, his girlfriend said that she considered taking her own life during their 18-month-long affair.
She said, “I went into shock and lost my self.” He would think in a vindictive, manipulative manner and abuse my trust and affection in me.
Kade Sibthorpe (29), Swinton, Greater Manchester punched his pregnant partner in the stomach and threatened to kill her with a knife point last December
Sibthorpe was convicted of rape and is shown centre making an offensive hand gesture. He met his lover while serving a six year sentence at Category A HMP Bure in Norfolk. He worked with her as a prison officer.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard Sibthorpe’s story two years ago, as he was serving six-years at HMP Bure in Norfolk. Sibthorpe had been convicted of raping a young woman in the dead of the night in her home.
Henry Blackshaw, the prosecutor, described how she worked under Sibthorpe’s wing and fell for him despite knowing why he was in prison.
They admitted to having an ‘intimate,’ and a ‘inappropriate’ relationship at Category B prison.
The woman even moved to Manchester with Sibthorpe to be there after he completed his six-year sentence. She met him when he stepped off of the train on the day he was freed.
Mr Blackshaw stated that she was unable to work for the prison service in Norfolk after her termination and moved to Manchester to be with a friend and to change her career.
“But while that account was false, it is clear that it was abusive and controlling to have a relationship with the defendant.”
“They quickly formed an intense relationship and were living together.
“She was, and to some degree, still is, obsessed by the defendant, but gave an account of how unpleasantly the suspect would behave towards her to police.
The woman found out she was pregnant with Sibthorpe’s child on December 15, 2020. However, she did not intend to keep the baby.
Officers were told by her that Sibthorpe had returned around 10pm that night and that he had ‘punched her in the stomach’ before she was threatened with a large kitchen knife.
After forcing her to drive through moorland late into the night, the couple were seen together at 11am the next day at a Tesco Express in Oldham. There they had a violent confrontation, which was witnessed and recorded by the employees of the store.
Sibthorpe was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester to 21 months imprisonment for coercive control.
A Tesco employee described the visibly distressed woman as ‘looking scared’, ‘physically shaking’ and then confronted Sibthorpe. He accused her of hitting him.
He denied the accusation, telling his employee: ‘No, no, we are okay. She has been like that all morning. She just needs go back to her flat to get herself sorted out.
Sibthorpe responded to being accused of hitting the woman in a car with his fists: “No, you are very mistaken. I was leaning over for her.”
His ‘freezing” girlfriend, whose slippers were wet, was taken to the store, where she contacted police. Sibthorpe then drove off.
Prosecutor Blackshaw stated: “When further interrogated as to whether he hit her, he confirmed that he did but still seemed very quieted.
“She claimed to police that she was attacked by the defendant in the stomach and threatened with a knife the night before.
“It is obvious that the victim suffered very significant as a consequence of the abuses and manipulations.
“The cumulative effect his emotional and physical behavior towards her was to undermine her confidence and to indicate that she had become controlled and controlled by him.”
Sibthorpe’s coercive behavior began with checking his lover’s text messages. He resentfully met up with her friends and threatened to tell her parents about her secret relationship.
Sibthorpe posted on his Facebook page that he called himself “The Devil” and also uploaded voodoo- and occult-themed memes
The abuse worsened, with the woman being referred to as a ‘sl**’ and ‘dog’, and she was once told by Sibthorpe that he wanted to ‘insert a gun inside her’ while they had sex.
Other times, her clothes were thrown out the window. She was even dragged back to their home after packing her bags and leaving.
Blackshaw continued: ‘She describes how he had tipped her out of the bed on occasion and called her an ‘immature little b****’.
“She described how he would damage her property, and in anger, he punched through her car windscreen from within.
“She had dressed up for a job interview on another occasion and he threw coffee over her. Her clothes were ruined and she was unable attend the interview.
“He was also complaining to her about how she was not supporting him financially, as she should.”
The termination of the woman’s pregnancy took place on December 22. Sibthorpe was taken into custody the day following the attack, but he did not comment on the interview with police.
The abuse reached such a stage that the woman was referred to as a ‘sl**’ and ‘dog’, and she was once told by Sibthorpe (above) that he wanted to ‘insert a gun inside her’ while they had sex
The court heard that the victim sent him nude selfies while he was in custody and even paid him an unexpected visit. Later, she asked for a restraining order not to be placed against him because they might have to get back in touch in the future.
Michael Lavery, defense counsel, said in mitigation: “His conduct does not credit him at all but she must be viewed with some scepticism by the court.” She claimed she was psychologically harmed, but then left the door open for further contact.
“The defendant was keen to have his side of this relationship investigated before any guilty pleas were offered.”
Sibthorpe was sentenced to prison by Judge Tina Landale.
“You were controlling, verbally, and physically abusive, and you invaded her privacy, and assaulted.
“It is obvious that the offence has caused her distress, and her mental health is in decline, but it is difficult to go beyond that when assessing the impact of her ongoing attitude toward you.
Sibthorpe posted on his Facebook page that he called himself “The Devil” and also uploaded voodoo- and occult-themed memes, including one saying: “Some days even Satan sits back and admires work.”
He is pictured on social media sporting menacing grins. One image shows him standing in front of a horror cartoon depicting a graveyard with skeletons rising from death.