St Helens man jailed after strangling girlfriend he met on Snapchat

A convicted s*x offender who punched, kicked and strangled his girlfriend twice just weeks after meeting her on Snapchat has been jailed.

Connor Helps, 30, attacked the woman in her home in St Helens after an argument following a trip to a veterinary practice.

Liverpool Crown Court heard he strangled her for around a minute, left the property and then returned to attack her again. The woman suffered a black eye and injuries to her elbows.

Helps, of Coral Avenue, Thatto Heath, had been in a relationship with her for approximately four weeks and had moved into her home almost immediately after they met.

The court heard an argument began after the woman fell outside the vets and asked Helps to assist her. When she later returned home following further arguments, Helps was already there.

He damaged her coat, pushed and punched her, and kicked her in the ribs, causing her to fall. He then straddled her, pinned her wrists and punched her in the eye before placing both hands around her neck and squeezing.

The woman struck Helps and he released her neck. He remained on top of her and used her own hands to hit her, telling her: “You can’t get me done for hitting yourself.”

Helps left but returned a short time later. When the woman allowed him in to collect his belongings, he punched and kicked her to the floor, pinned her down and strangled her again.

Police were called after the victim’s brother arrived. Helps was arrested nearby after threatening to harm himself with a piece of glass. Officers found cannabis in his possession.

The court heard Helps had 15 previous convictions for 27 offences, including harassment, breaching a restraining order and battery. He had also been jailed for 38 months in 2021 for s*xual assault.

Helps pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm on the day his trial was due to begin. He also admitted possessing cannabis and failing to surrender to bail.

Recorder Eric Lamb described the attack as a prolonged and persistent assault involving strangulation and found that Helps posed a significant risk of serious harm to previous or future partners.

Helps received a two-year custodial sentence, with an additional one-year extended licence period. He also received concurrent sentences for cannabis possession and failing to surrender to bail.

A 10-year restraining order bans him from contacting the victim.