A woman who was strangled and headbutted was saved when her smartwatch automatically dialed emergency services in the UK. The perpetrator, Roy Gibbs, 65, admitted to attacking her twice but claimed the headbutt was unintentional.
During a confrontation, Gibbs choked the woman so severely that she struggled to breathe, leading to her losing consciousness. Subsequently, her smartwatch detected the distress and made a 999 call, alerting the police.
Despite pleading guilty, Gibbs argued that he only strangled the woman once and insisted the headbutt was accidental. However, the judge questioned his account given the severity of the injuries and his admission of assault.
Acknowledging Gibbs’ clean record, the judge imposed a suspended two-year prison sentence. Gibbs was also ordered to complete unpaid work, rehabilitation, and alcohol abstinence monitoring. Additionally, he was directed to compensate the victim financially.
The victim detailed a history of abuse, including physical violence and verbal degradation. Gibbs’ violent actions, including throwing a drink at her, choking her, and using racial slurs, were recounted in court. The victim described the attack as brutal, causing non-stop bleeding and immense fear.
Despite Gibbs’ claims of accidental harm, the court found him guilty of multiple violent acts against the woman. His prior good conduct was noted as a potential indicator of rehabilitation.