Man jailed for 20 years for attempted murder of partner after 999 call
A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the attempted murder of his partner, who called 999 during the attack. The case underscores the severity of domestic violence.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A man has been jailed for 20 years for the attempted murder of his partner, who managed to call 999 during a brutal attack that lasted 45 minutes. The case has highlighted the severity of domestic violence and the quick thinking of the victim, who hid her phone under plants so the call handler could hear the assault.
James Stock was sentenced at court for the attack on Caroline Goddard, known as Kaz, at her home near Weston-super-Mare. The attack began inside the house, where Stock strangled her, and continued outside when he caught up with her and smashed her face against a rockery. The 999 call remained active for 16 minutes, during which the call handler, who was new to the job, realised the danger and coordinated police response.
Police released footage of the arrest and praised the victim's bravery in sharing her story. The judge described the attack as brutal and sustained, carried out in a place where Goddard was entitled to feel safe. Goddard, who had previously been filmed cooking Christmas meals for the homeless with Stock, said she went through the ordeal for every woman who experiences domestic violence. She is still waiting for surgery for a broken nose and struggles to breathe.
Stock refused to speak to police after his arrest, only saying, "She said she fell over, but I think it was me." The sentence reflects the severity of the attack, which left the victim with lasting physical and emotional scars.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| James Stock was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the attempted murder of Caroline Goddard. | ||
| The attack lasted a reported 45 minutes (ITV) or 16 minutes after the 999 call (BBC). | ||
| The victim called 999 during the attack and hid the phone under plants so the call continued to record. | ||
| Police praised Goddard's bravery in sharing her story. | · | |
| The 999 call handler was new to the job and quickly realised the danger. | · | |
| The attack lasted 45 minutes and Goddard called 999 during it. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The ITV report was brief and focused on the police sharing footage of the arrest and the 20-year sentence. It highlighted the 45-minute duration of the attack and the victim's 999 call, but did not include the victim's name or detailed personal story. The tone was factual and concise, with no additional context about the relationship or the call handler's role.
- “police have shared footage. At the moment they arrested a man for brutally attacking a woman he was in a relationship with.”
- “James Stock has been jailed for 20 years for the attempted murder of Caroline Goddard at her property near Weston-super-Mare.”
- “Officers have praised her bravery in sharing her story.”
The BBC provided an in-depth, emotional account of the attack, focusing on the victim's bravery and the call handler's quick thinking. It included extensive quotes from the victim, Kaz Goddard, and the call handler, as well as details of the relationship and the attack. The report emphasised the 16-minute active 999 call and the victim's motivation to speak out for other women. The tone was compassionate and detailed, with a warning about distressing content.
- “Kaz Goddard kept her 999 call active when the attack took place as the call handler who was new to the job meticulously joined the dots to save her.”
- “I did this for every woman who goes through it, and it's been brutal for me, but for him to get what he's got, we've done it and it's been worth it.”
- “You could hear the fact that she was being punched, she was being dragged along the floor. You could tell that she was visibly in and out of consciousness, because she was responding, not responding.”
Broadcast Timeline
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