Violent stalker handed increased prison sentence
Liam Goodenough has had his sentence tripled following a referral to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP.
A man who stalked, assaulted and kidnapped a woman has had his sentence tripled following a referral to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP.
Liam Goodenough, 42, stalked his former partner as she went on a date, jealously sending the victim’s brother messages threatening suicide and demanding to know the location of the victim. Using a tracking feature on her phone, Goodenough drove to the hotel the victim was staying at and verbally abused her, as well as assaulting her companion. He then proceeded to photograph her in a state of undress.
Goodenough dragged the victim out of the hotel room to his car, suggesting he had a knife and that her son was in the vehicle. However, when she realised that her son was not in the car she tried to escape. A bystander intervened and the victim was able to get out of the car, while Goodenough escaped.
Goodenough was convicted of stalking involving serious alarm or distress, and kidnapping. On 5 November 2021, at Aylesbury Crown Court, Goodenough was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. He was also handed a restraining order for a period of 10 years.
Following the sentencing, the Solicitor General referred Goodenough’s sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.
On 13 January the Court of Appeal found his original sentence to be unduly lenient and increased it to 3 years’ imprisonment.
Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP said:
Goodenough subjected the victim to a shocking and frightening ordeal. I referred his sentence because I considered it did not reflect the gravity of the offending and was unduly lenient. I am glad that the Court of Appeal agrees.