Man Who Throttled Tinder Date Is First To Be Jailed Under Non-Fatal Strangulation Law

One of the first individuals to receive a prison sentence in the UK for non-fatal strangulation was a thug who choked a woman he met online.

Six weeks after first meeting the victim on Tinder, Benjamin Flatters, 32, attacked her at her Spalding, Lincolnshire, home on June 23.

Before resuming the assault in her bedroom, which might have lasted up to five minutes, he reportedly put his hands around her throat at the top of the stairs.

As Flatters screamed about going back to prison and made threats to set the house on fire, she eventually managed to escape and asked a neighbor to call 999.

Despite having no major injuries, the woman had red markings around her neck when police arrived at the scene and arrested Flatters.

At Lincoln Crown Court, Flatters of Spalding entered a guilty plea to non-fatal strangling, threatening to set the woman's home on fire, and criminal damage.

He received a 34-month sentence in prison, a 12-month extended license requirement after his release, and a 10-year restraining order on Wednesday.

The crime of non-fatal strangling was made a federal offense on June 7 to safeguard domestic violence victims.

Strangulation victims may have minor to no outward scars, which indicates that a charge of actual bodily harm or common assault may have been filed in the past.

As a result of the new law, perpetrators now risk a maximum penalty of five years in jail, even though it was acknowledged that this did not adequately reflect the seriousness of the crime.

It was the county's first case brought under the new law, which the Lincolnshire Police characterized as "potentially life-changing."

Additionally, the court was informed that Flatters had a history of convictions and imprisonments.

He was sentenced to a year in prison in December of last year after pleading guilty to assault and having a weapon in his possession while terrorizing hotel guests.

In February 2018, Flatters lost his temper following an argument with his girlfriend and threw a glass across a crowded nightclub, injuring two other ladies.

Protecting Vulnerable Persons (PVP) section detective chief inspector Reid Martin stated: "Domestic abuse is a priority for Lincolnshire Police and the perpetrator, in this case, to receive a 34-month custodial sentence sends a strong message to perpetrators.”

"I hope that the victim, in this case, feels a sense of justice for what they went through.”

"I also hope that this encourages more victims to come forward and report domestic abuse."