Actor who forced girlfriend to bathe in socks is jailed

A man with a foot fetish has been jailed for coercive and controlling behaviour after forcing his girlfriend to wear socks at all times.

A film and TV actor, Eyles - of Royal Oak Close, Chippenham, Wilts - admitted two offences of using controlling and coercive behaviour towards the woman during their 18-month relationship. 37-year-old Gavin Eyles was handed a 32-month prison sentence at Gloucester Crown Court, but will soon be freed because the time he spent in custody on remand will be discounted from his sentence.

The court heard that Eyles made her bathe with her socks on, told her what to watch on television and demeaned her if she displeased him. He also told her what to wear, and insisted that she never exposed her feet, demanding she constantly wear socks.

The court heard that the actor, who appeared in Disney's Muppets 2 and the 2018 film Hurricane, had been jailed for 42 days in 2010 after committing the same offence against an ex-partner. The court heard that he met his latest victim on social media in March 2019 and that when the pair moved in together at the start of the pandemic his controlling behaviour had worsened.

David Maunder, prosecuting, said: "He dictated to her what clothing she could wear – 'nothing too revealing', he would state. He would tell her he didn't want her looking like a 'drag queen'." "He appears to have a foot fetish. He wouldn't allow her to walk around in bare feet. She was ordered to wear socks and not to expose her feet in public. "He would insist that she bathe with her socks on. He also had kinky habits in the bedroom, which frightened the woman."

Mr Maunder added that the woman "wanted to end it in July 2020 but he tried to convince her she was suffering from a mental trauma". In court, Eyles also admitted stalking the woman between Aug 19, 2020, and Sept 19 last year, causing her serious alarm or distress.

Judge Ian Lawrie QC imposed a 10-year restraining order on Eyles and prohibited him from entering Gloucestershire, jailed him for two years and eight months and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £170.

Judge Lawrie told him: "Your offending has caused considerable emotional and psychological distress to the woman over a long period of time. You appear blind to the harm and stress you caused her. I hope you have learnt a valuable lesson about treating women with respect and restraint."

PM Law 

Sheffield Solicitors