Reading Crown Court: Jailed: 'Psychotic' Upper Bucklebury cocaine addict who throttled partner

A COCAINE addict became so paranoid he thought his girlfriend was bugging their home.

As he sank further into drug-induced psychosis, Paul Sharp would search her for wiretaps and obsessively try to control every aspect of her life, Reading Crown Court heard on Tuesday, January 31.

But he was arrested after throttling her by temporarily cutting off her airway, the sentencing hearing was told.

Matthew Kirk, prosecuting, said the 34-year-old became convinced he was the victim of a sinister conspiracy; that the home in Roundfield, Upper Bucklebury, was bugged and that his partner Louise Paul was wearing a wireless recording device

Sharp slapped and brutalised Ms Paul, screaming about her imagined infidelity, the court heard.

The court heard the three-year relationship began well but deteriorated as the drink and drug consumption of both parties increased.

Mr Kirk said: "Mr Sharp's cocaine use had increased to a significant amount; his mental health declined dramatically.

"The relationship became dominated by his fears of her faithlesness and that made the relationship toxic.

"When he went out he would often lock her in the flat; he would check her body and clothing for wires, concerned they might be bugged.

"His behaviour was often terrifying to Ms Paul.

Sharp said in a statement: "I was convinced the home was bugged and everyone was part of a conspiracy."

He said the suffocation offence came about because they were arguing and he just "wanted her to be quiet".

Sharp had put his hand across both her nose and mouth, blocking her airways, the court heard.

Describing the aftermath of a similar attack, which did not form part of the charges the court heard, Ms Paul said her neck was sore and bruised, her voice was hoarse and she had difficulty swallowing.

Sharp initially denied engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour towards Louise Paul, and committing a non-fatal strangulation offence, both committed in Upper Bucklebury between July 1, 2021 and Wednesday, August 3, 2022.

But on the day the trial was scheduled he entered guilty pleas on a basis and this was accepted by the prosecution.

Sharp also has numerous previous convictions for shoplifting, for non compliance with court orders and for assaulting an emergency worker.

Kirsty Day, defending, said both parties were abusing drink and drugs but that her client's paranoia "became very ingrained".

The pair were "co-dependent, enabling each other in a very toxic relationship," she added.

Ms Day asked Judge Hassan Khan to suspend any prison sentence he imposed.

But Judge Khan said Sharp suffered from a "self-inflicted, drug-induced psychosis" and was guilty of "a very serious offence of non-fatal suffocation" as well as coercive control.

He sentenced Sharp to 18 months imprisonment.

In addition he made him subject to a five year restraining order preventing him from contacting Ms Paul, either directly or indirectly.

No order was made for costs but Sharp must pay a statutory victim services surcharge.