The dad-of-four went on to strangle his girlfriend for a second time despite being banned from contacting her by the courts
Joel Maloney, of Brougham Road in Seacombe, Wirral, aged 22(Image: Merseyside Police)
A domestic abuser laughed when his victim begged “you’re going to kill me” as he brutally strangled her during a row over a takeaway. Joel Maloney became enraged when his partner told him that she wasn’t hungry after he had ordered food to be delivered to their address.
The dad-of-four then throttled his victim for a second time a year later, despite being banned from contacting her by the courts. Having gone on to threaten to “smash all her ma’s windows”, a judge told the drug dealer yesterday that he had “attempted to shift the blame” and expressed only “superficial” remorse for his crimes.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday afternoon that Maloney, of Brougham Road in Seacombe, Wirral, had been in a relationship with the complainant for five years and shared a child with her. However, in the early hours of May 9 last year, an argument erupted between the couple after the defendant arranged a food delivery, although she told him that she was not hungry when the takeaway arrived.
Olivia Belle, prosecuting, described how the 22-year-old thereafter followed the complainant upstairs and pushed her onto a bed, pinning her down by “digging his knees into her stomach” while strangling her with both hands. Despite being left struggling to breathe, Maloney responded by laughing when she managed to plead: “You’re going to kill me.”
The victim later reported the incident to a member of staff at her son’s play group. But her attacker subsequently denied having strangled when interviewed by detectives.
Maloney was then arrested for a second time on September 10, 2024 after police were called to an address in Liscard. Having noticed an “extremely strong smell of cannabis emanating from a premises” where he was present, officers searched the property and discovered a quantity of the class B drug which was valued at between £300 and £470.
A series of messages indicating his involvement in the supply of such illicit substances were then discovered on his Nokia mobile phone, including one text which read: “Hiya Joel. Could I get a 20 bag please?”
Following a court appearance in relation to the assault in January this year, Maloney was released on bail under conditions not to contact his girlfriend. However, on May 8, Merseyside Police received reports that the two had been in one another’s company.
When officers subsequently visited her address, she disclosed how he had strangled her again following another row on April 17, 2025. On this occasion, Maloney was said to have throttled her with both hands “for a few seconds” while shouting: “If you get my son taken away, I’m going to kill you.”
She was left “feeling as is she was about to pass out” and “light headed” as a result, being “too scared to report it” at the time. In the early hours of the following day, he went on to warn her during a series of messages: “Hope you’re happy s**g, s***ging other lads as soon as I’m gone. Gonna smash all your ma’s windows, then yours so you get kicked out.”
In a statement which was read to the court on her behalf, she said: “Every little noise I hear makes me jump. I fear it’s him and he’s going to harm me. I’m having regular nightmares about him. I’m constantly looking over my shoulder when I leave the house, which isn’t very often at this point.”
Maloney has two previous convictions for possession of cannabis, for which he was fined in December 2024 and March 2025, as well as being cautioned for possession of cocaine in 2022. Peter White, defending, told the court: “Mr Maloney is a care leaver. There appears to be a traumatic background. He appears to have been exposed to and witnessed many things from a young age.
“They have entered into a relationship. He became a father at a very young age. He tells me that he has fathered four children. He is still only 22. The eldest child is seven years old. He was 21 when the first offence was committed.
“He accepts that he has lacked maturity and lived a chaotic lifestyle. He tells me that he has written a letter of apology. He can only hope that this is his last time in custody, and that he uses his time to address difficulties in his thinking skills and, perhaps, engage with drug and alcohol services. Hopefully he can learn some form of trade. He had a very disrupted education.”
Maloney admitted charges including two counts of intentional strangulation, threatening to damage or destroy property and possession of cannabis with intent to supply. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a navy blue Berghaus coat over an orange t-shirt, he was jailed for 40 months and handed a 10-year restraining order.
Sentencing, Judge Neil Flewitt KC said: “You have not demonstrated any meaningful taking of responsibility for what you have done. Any expression of remorse appears superficial. You have attempted to shift blame towards others and have little or no understanding of the impact of what you have done or the risks that you present.
“On both occasions, you left your victim struggling for breath and fearing for her life. Strangulation is a particularly nasty and cowardly offence and can have a lasting impact on the victim.
“You are still only 22 years of age. It is clear that you have had a very troubled upbringing. I accept that you are immature for your age, and your immaturity may have contributed to the commission of some of these offences. You do not have a lengthy criminal record.”
Judge Flewitt labelled a pre-sentence report by the Probation Service into Maloney’s background “one of the more troubling reports he has read recently”, adding: “Having read everything in your pre-sentence report and taking into account the facts of these offences, I do consider that you pose a high risk of serious harm to [your ex-partner]. I hope that is taken into account if and when you are considered for any early release.”