City Insurance Executive Throttled His "Absolutely Petrified" Partner

Howard Burnell

A City insurance executive’s career is in tatters after being convicted of throttling his “absolutely petrified” partner on the doorstep of his £1.6m apartment, a court heard today.

Former Head of Marine & Energy Liability Howard James Burnell, 62, was ousted from his lucrative directorship when news of the ugly late-night attack broke.

The divorced father-of-two, of Little Green, Richmond was convicted of assaulting girlfriend of nine years, hat-maker Mary Phillips on March 14, last year.

Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court heard Burnell, who was a company officer with Bishopsgate-based insurance giants Apollo, inflicted bruising to her throat and thigh when they rowed after a dinner-date.

“Parliament intends to make strangulation a separate offence because it is so scary and frightening and Mary was frightened by this,” magistrate Timothy Nathan told him.

Burnell was placed on a twelve-month community order, which includes a three-month electronically-tagged curfew between 7pm and 7am.

He must also attend fifteen days of Probation Service-approved rehabilitation; pay Ms Phillips £400 compensation; £620 in court costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Burnell was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him contacting his ex or visiting her new address in Kent.

“He lost his employment. He fell foul of the regulatory body and was dismissed and lost a substantial amount of equity in that partnership when this case was reported,” said Neville Gray, defending.

“He does not envisage ever being able to work again after working in the industry for many, many years and is deeply ashamed and apologetic for what happened.”

Ms Phillips told the trial the pair enjoyed a restaurant meal earlier that evening. “We shared one bottle of wine, but Mr. Burnell likes his alcohol so it could have been two.”

While travelling home the couple rowed, with Burnell telling his partner of nine years: “You have crossed the line”.

He stormed off ahead, shutting Ms Phillips out of the home they shared, which he owns. “He positioned himself in the doorway,” she told the court from behind a screen.

Mary Phillips

“He said: ‘You insulted my parents,’ and was very aggressive, more than usual.

“He was red, his eyes were evil-looking. The hatred.

“His hand came up and grabbed my throat and I was lifted up on to my tiptoes and was in sheer fear.

“I thought he was going to headbutt me. I was absolutely petrified.

“He also used the door to bar my way and that bruised all of my leg and the bruise was under my jaw for a week and my neck was painful.”

Burnell denied throttling his ex-partner, suggesting she may have sustained injuries as she tried to barge her way into the flat against his wishes.

Ms Phillips was forced out that night with just a travel bag, leaving behind, to this day, her collection of mink coats and tens of thousands of pounds worth of jewellery, silver and crystal.

“The victim states the defendant’s verbal abuse had been escalating and was worse when he was in alcohol and this was the first example of physical abuse,” said prosecutor Suleman Hussain.

“She says his mood swings are erratic and states: ‘I feel my future safety is at risk if Howard’s in one of his moods. If he loses control he becomes abusive and bullying.

‘My health has deteriorated both mentally and physically since the assault, with stress and anxiety attacks and periods of uncontrollable shaking’.”