Controlling boyfriend who flushed partner's rabbit down toilet in ten-month campaign of abuse before fleeing to Thailand sobs as he's jailed for nine years

A controlling boyfriend who fled to Thailand after a campaign of domestic abuse against his ex-girlfriend, which included flushing her pet rabbit down the toilet, has been jailed.Nicholas Cash, 26, sobbed as he was sentenced to almost ten years after subjecting Olivia Croft to ten months of vile abuse. He slashed Ms Croft in the face with a piece of broken glass, locked her in their home and repeatedly shot her with a BB gun. Cash, from Bournemouth, Dorset, goaded her into taking an overdose before forcing a large number of pills down her throat.He also controlled the then 17-year-old by stopping her wearing makeup and monitoring her mobile phone and social media use.Ms Croft finally went to the police after Cash drowned one of her rabbits by flushing it down the toilet.Cash was meant to stand trial in 2022 but claimed he was too ill to attend court before he fled to Thailand with a new partner and newborn baby. A court heard he later left them for a Thai woman.After evading the police for three years, he was finally tracked down in Thailand last December, and extradition proceedings began. Nicholas Cash, 26, was jailed for eight years for domestic abuse and a further 16 months for breaching bail conditions and breaching a suspended sentence for offences against another victimHe spent nine months in a Thai prison before being brought back to Britain last month.Cash was found guilty in his absence of controlling or coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage and administering a poisonous or noxious substance with intent. He appeared from prison via video link today at Bournemouth Crown Court as he was jailed for eight years for the domestic abuse and a further 16 months for breaching bail conditions and breaching a suspended sentence for offences against another victim.Ruby Shrimpton, defending, said that Cash, at the time of the trial, was 'frightened' about the prospect of going to jail, which led to his 'impulsive' act to flee the country.She said: 'It was the relatively impulsive act of a desperate and some might say cowardly and idiotic young man who didn't want to deal with the consequences of his actions, but now he does.'He spent nine months in a Thai prison and he told me that it was hell on earth.'He said he saw things that no one should have to see.'It was a living nightmare and he was left traumatised by it.'However, the judge said he could not take into account his time served in a Thai prison and that Cash had carried out a 'determined' and 'deliberate' attempt to evade justice.His Honour Judge Nigel Fuller, sentencing Cash, said: 'It is clear from your actions that by the October of 2022, it may have been weeks before or less than weeks, you had already planned to flee the country to avoid your trial.'You left the country on October 24, 2022.'After your conviction considerable resources were deployed to secure your extradition from Thailand and you were removed.'You were produced at court two weeks ago and that means you had evaded the authorities for approaching four years.'The delay would have resulted in added distress to the complainants and their families.' Cash pictured getting arrested in Thailand after he spent three years evading policeAfter the original case, Ms Croft, a carer, said: 'The things he did to me were sickening, but I was too scared to leave because I didn't want him to hurt anyone else. He relentlessly abused me, emotionally and physically.'I had to be strong in the end as I knew it would just get worse and worse.'When I did finally leave he flushed one of my pet rabbits down the toilet, killing it, that was the last straw for me to go to the police.'It was really hard going through the trial, being questioned by his lawyer while he was living it up in Thailand.'I'm still unable to sleep, I have horrific nightmares about him coming to snatch me back. I feel emotionally blunted and numb most of the time.'I have very serious trust issues and I'm very uncomfortable in social settings.'Before I was a social and outgoing person, I felt a part of the world I lived in and was comfortable in my own skin. He took all that away from me.'