Football coach strangled disabled neighbour in front of kids until he passed out

14 October 2023 , 11:43

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Martin Nelson pleaded guilty to two counts of assault (Image: CornwallLive/BPM)

A football coach pushed his neighbour to the ground and strangled her disabled husband in front of their children until he passed out.

Martin Nelson, 37, was jailed for the horrific pair of assaults carried out earlier this year, which has left one victim terrified of leaving their home. The 37-year-old appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, October 13. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, one by beating and one through intentional strangulation. Animosity between Nelson and his neighbours had bubbled for "quite some time" and by March of this year any signs of peaceful relations had "completely broken down".

Impact statements read out to Truro Crown Court say Mr Phillips is afraid to leave the house (CornwallLive/BPM)

It led to a vicious assault on the Phillips couple, who were beaten by the football coach in front of their children. An altercation on March 21 of this year saw Nelson push neighbour Amanda Phillips over. Judge Simon Carr told Nelson this should have been a "wake up call" for him and that things had, at this stage, gotten out of hand. But a horrific encounter between Nelson and his neighbours on April 29 soon followed. Nelson attacked Amanda's husband, Christopher Phillips, in front of both sets of their children, rendering the man unconscious. He has now spoken out on how he is terrified to leave the house.

Mr Phillips was strangled until he was made unconscious, with CCTV footage showing the assault and subsequent kicks Nelson delivered following the strangulation. He was also seen to be verbally abusive of Mr Phillips' disability. Judge Carr said: "You then put your hands around his throat and strangled him. What that footage shows is that he is clearly rendered unconscious and he goes to the ground and while he's in that terribly vulnerable state, you kick him." At the time of the incident, Nelson had been on bail following the assault on Mrs Phillips.

An impact statement read out to the court has since noted the "zombie"-like after effect on Mr Phillips' mood. A statement read out to the court heard he was now afraid to leave the property or even communicate with other people. He and his wife have no prospect of moving from the rented accommodation, which has been adapted to help Mr Phillips in his day to day activities. Renovations made to aid his disability would cost the couple £10,000 should they leave, a local authority contract has confirmed.

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In mitigation, Mr Nelson was deemed to be facing his "own challenges". The judge added: "It is clear you yourself face your own challenges. Your mental health is not as strong as it might be." Nelson was sentenced to 12-months imprisonment and also issued a restraining order lasting 10 years, which bars the football coach from contacting the Phillips couple for the next decade.

Judge Carr, referring to the strangulation, said: "It is such a serious form of assault and in this case you did place your hands around his throat and apply sufficient pressure for him to be rendered unconscious. There were children present, he was vulnerable as a result of his disabilities and the other aggravating features are the other assaults, in addition to the strangulation, of him and his wife and the fact you were on a community order at the time."

Lisa Letcher