Life sentence for man who beat partner with hammer and bike lock

A vicious bully has been sentenced to life after he repeatedly beat and tortured his partner using weapons including a hammer and a clothes steamer. 

Ozgur Suyolcu inflicted so many injuries upon his victim she was barely able to speak and left unable to walk.

On 13 April 2024, police attended a flat near Tunbridge Wells following a distressed phone call from a woman who feared she was dying.

Suyolcu was inside the property and told attending patrols he was the woman’s partner and claimed she had been ‘attacked by drug dealers’ but didn’t need an ambulance.

Injuries included burns and broken bones

He was arrested and officers found the woman in a bedroom, unable to move and struggling to breathe.

She was taken to hospital with injuries including fractures to her jaw, shoulders, breastbone, ribs, vertebrae, as well as her arms.

The ferocity of Suyolcu’s attacks had caused both the victim’s lungs to collapse and left her covered in bruises and bite marks.

She had suffered multiple burns resulting from Suyolcu harming her with a steamer and medical staff also found evidence of previous internal bleeding.

Detectives went on to uncover the full scale of abuse suffered by the victim, who had been beaten and bullied by Suyolcu for almost a year and was forbidden any contact with her family.

The most recent assaults included Suyolcu attacking the victim with multiple weapons including a heavy-duty bike lock and beating her arms and legs with a hammer.

When the flat was searched the hammer was found hidden behind a chest of drawers in the bedroom.

Suyolcu, 30, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and controlling and coercive behaviour.

An attempted murder charge was ordered by the court to be left on file.

On Friday 13 June 2025, Suyolcu was sentenced to life imprisonment. He will have to serve a minimum of 13 years (less 424 days already served on remand) before he can apply for parole.

He will also be subject to an indefinite restraining order. 

Extraordinary courage

Detective Constable Emily Hill said:

‘The sheer brutality of Suyolcu’s actions towards his victim was truly horrifying. He would regularly beat her for no reason, before the terrifying violence she was forced to endure escalated to savage attacks with a hammer. 'There is little doubt that had she not summoned the extraordinary courage to reach out for help and call the police she may not have survived. ‘The victim has suffered tremendously but is also incredibly resilient and brave and I do hope that now Suyolcu can cause her no further harm, she can move on with her life and once again feel safe. ‘We continue to urge all victims of domestic abuse to come forward, confident in the knowledge they will receive the best possible service. 'Remember, you are not to blame for what is happening and you can report it to us or contact several support organisations who can and will help you.’