Man, 22, threw girlfriend from fourth floor of tower block in jealous rage

A controlling thug who pushed his girlfriend out of a fourth-floor tower block window in a jealous rage and told police she jumped has been jailed for five years. Jordan Herring, 22, shoved Bobbie Goodman, 18, from the window of his mum's flat in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull, West Midlands.

Chilling CCTV footage captured the victim plummeting almost 40ft (12.2m) to the ground from Merton House at 11.22pm on November 12, 2022. Incredibly, she survived the fall as her head missed the pavement by just a few feet. But she suffered a collapsed lung, shattered pelvis, broken ribs and a smashed spine, spending a month in intensive care and even more in a wheelchair.

A court heard Herring launched the attack in a cannabis-fuelled rage after interrogating her about Snapchat messages on her phone with other men.

Herring, of Lark Meadow Drive, Solihull, was previously convicted of causing grievous bodily harm, but cleared of attempted murder at Birmingham Crown Court.

He had previously been found guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour against the same victim following a previous trial.

Judge Simon Drew KC, sentencing, said Herring was a "dangerous offender" and extended his licence period for a year.

He told Herring: "You started a relationship with the victim in February 2022. At the time she was 17 and you were 18. You had recently been released from a prison sentence and you were living with your grandmother and in April 2022 she moved in to live with you.

"From the evidence I have heard she became increasingly withdrawn from her family. It is clear you began to exercise increasing control over her and her life. She had become dependent on you."

The judge said in October 2022, Herring started to check her mobile phone as there were suspicions both ways over contact with others.

He added: "You were repeatedly verbally and physically abusive towards her. It seems her family by early November had become increasingly concerned about her."

Judge Drew said on the night the defendant had locked the teenager in a bedroom at the flat and he had been smoking cannabis which led to paranoia.

He said: "You were at times arguing about cheating. She has no recollection of you throwing her out of the window.

"I have seen the CCTV footage and it is a pretty shocking piece of footage. She falls something in the order of 40ft from the fourth floor.

"She was fortunate to hit the grass area and not the pavement only a few feet away from where she landed. You can see her bounce."

Judge Drew said Herring made no attempt to give her first aid and tried to cover up what had taken place. He said Herring tried to coerce her into lying about what had happened.

Jamie Scott, prosecuting, said before the horror fall, Herring had assaulted Bobbie twice, as well as interrogating her about Snapchat messages on her phone with other men.

He added: "It appears this offence was provoked through Herring's cannabis consumption and his violent jealousy."

The court was told Herring had taken Bobbie to Merton House, where his mother, Kerrie-Anne Grogan, lived, to avoid the teenager's concerned family, who had been looking for her.

She was already "battered and bruised" with two black eyes and marks to her neck upon arriving at the tower block. Herring made her conceal her appearance by wearing two hoodies.

Recalling the incident, she told officers Herring held her near the window and threatened: "I will throw you out. I will kill you."

But she had no memory of what happened immediately afterwards.

The footage showed Herring casually "strolling" downstairs, followed by his mother, picking the teenager up from the grass verge where she landed, wrapping her in a blanket and then carrying her back upstairs.

It took more than an hour for the emergency services to be called before the victim was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition where she required a blood transfusion.

Herring claimed his girlfriend had climbed out the window herself and fell after they had rowed about cheating allegations.

In a victim impact statement, Bobbie, now 21, said: "What Herring did to me has affected me in many ways.

"I am extremely lucky to be alive. To be honest I have no idea how I survived what happened to me. I am lucky to have a loving family around me to help me with my injuries and rehabilitation. I realised I was constantly controlled.

"I am in constant pain with my back and pelvis. He made me feel worthless and empty and had total control of my life. I woke up in hospital not knowing what had happened. I have always been afraid of heights."

Nicholas Berry, defending, said Herring had a significantly difficult childhood, adding: "He was exposed to considerable parental trauma, drugs and alcohol.

"He has struggled with anger, paranoid thoughts and drug use and an inability to process his emotions."