(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

A Kamloops-area man will spend almost seven years behind bars for the violent rape of his former partner.

Troy Lee England, 45, was sentenced May 24 to seven years jail time for breaking into his ex-girlfriend's trailer in Clearwater and raping her.

The attack was violent and England choked his former partner to stop her from screaming. He then threatened to kill her if she went to the police.

According to the May 24 B.C. Supreme Court decision, the attack took place in January 2019 after the couple had separated.

The decision says England and his ex-partner, whose name is covered under a publication ban, had a "tumultuous" relationship for about one year.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development were concerned about her children when the two started living together because England has a violent past and was an alcoholic.

At one point the couple separated and the partner got a protection order restraining England, but he convinced her that he had stopped drinking and had changed and they got back together.

After they eventually broke up again, England continued to be obsessed with his ex.

On the night of the attack, England sent multiple messages and made more than a dozen phone calls to his former partner.

On each occasion, she said she didn't want to see him.

However, after drinking in a bar, England went to her trailer, broke in and raped her.

"You ignored her repeated assertions that you could not attend her home. You then broke into her home and refused to leave when she told you to do so. You became physical with her when she resisted your advances. You did not take no for an answer," Justice Kathleen Ker said in the decision. "You did not stop when it was clear she did not want to have sex with you. You violently sexually assaulted her... you raped (her) and betrayed her trust in you. You also violated the sanctity of her home."

In a victim impact statement presented to the court, the former partner says since being raped she had a hard time trusting men and has been irreparably harmed.

She also experiences anxiety and panic attacks when she smells, sees, or hears anything that reminds her of England.

"She does not feel safe on her own and... has had to give up her residence and move in with family because she is scared to be alone," the decision reads.

England has a lengthy record dating back to when he was a youth and has been convicted for assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault, along with theft and other convictions.

The decision says England grew up largely in care and was labelled a “problem child.”

"To say his upbringing was tumultuous, chaotic, and traumatic would be an understatement," the Justice said.

He has five children by four different partners and his youngest child was born several months ago. He described the child's mother as a "heroin using prostitute" and their relationship as "toxic."

England was trying to regain custody of his 13-year-old son but the teen stopped trying to reconcile with his father after he heard about his father's conviction.

Crown prosecutors argued for nine years in jail, the defence wanted three years.

England was due to be sentenced March 1 but failed to turn up to court and instead went to the Lower Mainland to say goodbye to his son. A warrant was issued and England was arrested in late March.

With credit for 95 pre-sentence custody England will spend the next six years, eight months and 25 days in prison.

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