Channel 4 star who broke ex’s jaw, threatened to burn her & pulled out clump of her hair in 5yr abuse campaign is jailed
THE star of a Channel 4 reality TV show has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for beating his former girlfriend.
Heavily-tattooed Jack Woodman, who featured on Channel 4’s Bodyshockers, brutally attacked his girlfriend Crystal Taff on three separate occasions during their stormy five-year relationship.
Crystal, 39, who gave birth last month to a baby girl bravely faced down her attacker in court despite being in the last weeks of her pregnancy.
She told the jury at Bristol Crown Court in February how Woodman had attacked her on three separate occasions in front of their two children.
Crystal’s stepdad-dad Dave Priddle said: “This was the sentence the family needed for the pain and torment Woodman has put Crystal through.
“Woodman has now got what he always craved – to be famous.
“This is a victory not only for my step-daughter but for all women who have to suffer domestic violence and control and coercive behaviour.
“Woodman made Crystal’s life a living nightmare until she finally snapped and ran away from him with their two children.
“All he was ever worried about was himself and his relentless pursuit of being famous.
“Woodman has now got what he always craved – to be famous. But that fame has come at a massive price.
“The jury obviously saw through the lies he was telling and didn’t think he was a credible character.
“We just hope Crystal can now put this abusive relationship behind and move on to the next chapter of her life.
“She has a wonderful new-born baby girl and a loving partner to focus on now.”
In the three separate beatings, Woodman, 33, punched Crystal in the face breaking her jaw, pulled a clump of her hair out and also threatened to burn her with a pair of hair straighteners.
The five-day trial how the former pawnshop owner had been with Crystal for five years and the pair had two children together.
Their relationship ended in 2022 when she walked out of the house they shared with Woodman’s mother following a series of beatings.
Prosecuting, Caitlin Evans said: “On Father’s Day in 2022, he punched Ms Taffs after she came to pick him up following a night out at a casino in which he had lost a considerable amount of money.”
Giving evidence, Crystal, now 29, told how their relationship began after she walked out of her job as a hairdresser to start work at Woodman’s pawnshop, Jack’s Cash in Bedminster, Bristol.
She claimed that, one day, he attacked her in the shop.
She said: “One day I had agreed to cut my brother’s hair but Jack wouldn’t let me go until I had cleaned all the TVs in the pawnshop.
“He wasn’t happy with the standard of my cleaning of the TVs and he said I was a lazy b****.
“He was facing me and punched me in the right side of the face which was agony.
“I said I think you’ve knocked my teeth out and he said ‘If you don’t shut up I’ll make sure I knock the other teeth out’.
“I was very panicky as it just didn’t feel right.
“He made me stay in the shop and I sent a text to my stepmum apologising that I couldn’t cut my brother’s hair today. I didn’t tell anybody what had happened.
“I was in pain and very anxious and very scared. I didn’t know if anything was broken but I carried on working as normal at Jack’s Cash.
“I went to A&E because I physically couldn’t eat as it was too painful and so went to A&E but it was far too busy and was told that it would be up to five hours.
“I was conscious that Jack would come home that evening and so I went back to his house.
“I went back to A&E the following day and had x-rays taken which showed my jaw was broken.
“I was referred to a surgeon at Bristol Dental Hospital who said that I would need surgery to repair my jaw.”
Domestic abuse - how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
- Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
- Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
- Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
- Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
- The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night
- Men who are being abused can call Respect Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or ManKind on 0182 3334 244
- Those who identify as LGBT+ can ring Galop on 0800 999 5428
- If you are in immediate danger or fear for your life, always ring 999
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
In another incident during the weekend of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Taffs told how Woodman, who also appeared on the BBC show Young, Dumb and Living Off Mum, assaulted her in the car as they drove back from a family meal out.
She said: “During the journey home he was telling me I was boring to be with.
“It was a verbal argument but I do remember him pulling my hair which was something he often did.
“He reached across and just pulled out a clump of my hair and left me with a bald patch.
“I was really upset and started to cry when I looked in the mirror.
“He came in and started to get quite angry.
“He pushed me on the bed and threatened to burn me with my straighteners.
“He had me pinned down with his hands around my neck so I couldn’t move. I was on the bed and he had the straighteners snapping next to my face.
“I was petrified but he didn’t burn my face. This wasn’t an uncommon thing over the five years and I was terrified.”
Woodman of Kingswood, Bristol denied grievous bodily harm and two counts of actual bodily harm but the jury took just two hours to see through his lies to convict him.