Thatcham man Robert Googe avoids jail for assaulting woman

That was the cry of Robert Googe’s children after the Thatcham man assaulted his partner and threatened to burn their family home down.

But the 31-year-old, of Hermitage Green, will not serve time behind bars despite being found guilty of attacking the woman and then stalking her in the weeks after.

Googe, who carried out a “campaign of harassment” against his former partner, was let off by a Judge despite describing himself as “toxic”.

The Thatcham man, who had been in a relationship with his partner for 15 years, assaulted her on a “terrifying” night in December 2020.

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After a “break-down” in their relationship caused by a medical incident and Googe’s extra-marital affair, the pair met on December 9.

An argument ensued before Googe left to go to Thatcham train station saying he was going to “kill himself.”

Police arrived to talk to Googe before taking him back to his partner’s home.

Robert Googe leaves Court

When the police left, Googe went upstairs to his partner and said “They are not here to protect you now are they?”

Googe then grabbed her by the hair and led her out of the bedroom and threw her onto the floor.

He told her he would “strangle” her and “slit her throat”.

His children witnessed the incident.

A court heard how he shouted he would “burn down the house with you and the kids in it” at his partner, adding: “if I can’t have you, no one can.”

The children were “crying” and saying to Googe, “Daddy, don’t hurt us”.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and Googe’s partner pleaded for help.

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The paramedics invited them to sit in their ambulance but Googe started punching the vehicle.

The court heard how Googe’s partner was “hysterical” and “terrified.”

Googe was arrested and released on bail – he was told not to contact his partner.

But instead he pursued a “campaign of harassment” in the ensuing days, prosecutor Jacinta Stringer said, as he contacted her on “several occasions”.

She changed her phone number and blocked him on all social media but Googe continued to email her using different addresses.

His partner then moved to another part of the UK. Googe contacted her new landlord pretending to be her brother in an attempt to speak to her, but the landlord refused to allow him contact.

Prosecuting, Ms Stringer said: “She was in constant fear for her life and honestly believed he would have killed her on the night of the assault.”

In a victim statement, Googe’s former partner said he had a “severe obsession” with her, that he was “controlling” and “manipulative” and that during their relationship she sometimes “wasn’t allowed to wear what she wanted.

Ms Stringer added: “She feels like she is unable to move on with her life. She feels like she hasn’t been able to emotionally recover from this.”

Googe’s children are now “very quiet” and “act out of character”.

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Defending, Daisy Kell-Jones said Googe’s attempts to speak to his partner in the weeks following the assault were a “misguided attempt to reconnect with her.”

“He accepts fully that his relationship with her is over”, she added.

“He is attempting to try and rebuild his life. He has not seen his children and wants to rebuild a relationship with them.

“He stated himself in the pre-sentence report that he has become toxic. He wants to change and he wants to move forward.”

Sentencing, Judge Edward Burgess QC acknowledged Googe had already spent two months in jail after he admitted to stalking his partner.

The Judge said: “These are very serious offences. They are offences you committed against a background of obsessive and controlling behaviour.

“The way you behaved on December 9 was disgraceful and terrifying for your partner and your children.

“I hope this has left you feeling thoroughly ashamed of yourself – it should have done.”

Judge Burgess said the offences Googe committed warranted a 14-month prison sentence, but agreed to suspend the sentence for 18 months as he was “convinced” by Ms Kell-Jones’ argument that Googe wished to “change”.

He continued: “I will take a chance on you.

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“I accept there have been no further issues in terms of your behaviour.

“There is a lot more work that needs to be done for you to face up to your behaviour.

“You say you want to change – I will take your word for it.”

Googe walked free from court following his sentencing but was told he must only communicate with his children through a lawyer and that he was forbidden from contacting his former partner via a restraining order for five years.

The 31-year-old was sentenced for assault, affray and stalking without fear at Reading Crown Court on Friday, May 28.