October 2026

Declan Bust jailed after repeated attacks on partner

Declan Bust, 28, of Aspley, Nottingham, was jailed for three years after assaults on his partner between May and August 2024. The prosecution described his behaviour as a “campaign of strangulation”, a description his defence did not accept.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Bust pushed the woman down, straddled her and pressed his arm against her neck, leaving her struggling to breathe. On another occasion he put his arms around her throat in a car. In a separate attack, he wrapped both arms around her neck and lifted her off the floor.

During one episode, Bust took her phone and transferred £1,700 from her banking app into his account. The court also heard that he reached for a knife after threatening to harm himself if the woman ever hurt him.

His former partner said the ordeal had left her emotionally drained, with nightmares and night sweats. Judge Michael Auty KC warned that she could have lost consciousness or died had Bust maintained his hold for much longer. His defence said there had been no further offences or contact since the incidents. The judge imposed a five-year restraining order.