Solihull Man Jailed After Pushing Girlfriend From Tower Block Window
A Solihull man has been sentenced to five years in prison for pushing his girlfriend from a fourth-floor tower block window in a shocking case of domestic abuse. Jordan Herring, now 22, was found guilty of unlawful wounding and coercive and controlling behavior against his then-girlfriend Bobbie Goodman.
Toxic Relationship and Controlling Behavior
The couple's relationship began in February 2022 when Bobbie was 17 and Herring was 18. Within a month, Herring became increasingly controlling, demanding that Bobbie spend every day with him and isolating her from her family. By April 2022, Bobbie had moved into Herring's grandmother's home in Solihull.
Herring's behavior escalated throughout their relationship. He would regularly go through Bobbie's Snapchat account, quizzing her about messages she had sent to other men before their relationship even started. His jealous paranoia was fueled by heavy cannabis use, smoking five to six "spliffs" daily.
The Night of the Attack
In early November 2022, Herring assaulted Bobbie and locked her in a bedroom to hide visible bruises around her eyes and neck. Fearing that her family would see the injuries and report him to police, Herring took Bobbie on the run.
After staying briefly at a friend's factory, the couple ended up at Herring's mother's flat in Merton House tower block in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull. On the night of November 12, an argument broke out between the couple. Bobbie later told police: "The only thing I remember from that night is him literally putting me near the window, saying 'I will throw you out, I will kill you'. It's the only memory I have from that night."
The Fall and Aftermath
At 11:22 PM, CCTV footage captured Bobbie falling nearly 40 feet from the window. Miraculously, she landed on a grass verge rather than the nearby concrete path. Herring and his mother retrieved her motionless body and took her back into the flat, waiting more than an hour and twenty minutes before calling emergency services.
Bobbie suffered life-threatening injuries including two collapsed lungs, broken ribs, a shattered pelvis, a broken spine, a cut to her liver, and a split spleen. She spent a month in intensive care and several more months in a wheelchair. Now 21 and working as a barmaid, she walks with three metal pins in her hip.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
At Birmingham Crown Court, Herring was found guilty of unlawful wounding and coercive and controlling behavior but was cleared of more serious charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and attempted murder. His defense barrister argued that Herring's character had been "forged by his background," citing a difficult childhood marked by exposure to drugs, alcohol, and domestic abuse.
Judge Simon Drew described Herring as a "dangerous offender" who used the tower block as a "highly dangerous weapon." The judge criticized Herring's continued denial of pushing Bobbie from the window, his lack of insight and remorse, and his continued cannabis use while in prison. Herring received a five-year custodial sentence with a one-year extension to his licence period.
Victim Impact
In a statement read to the court, Bobbie said: "I am extremely lucky to be alive and to be honest I have no idea how I have survived what happened to me." She believes the relationship has ruined her life and fears she will never be able to trust another partner again.
During sentencing, Herring threw his head back in apparent dismay and let out a sarcastic laugh at some of the judge's remarks. As he was led from the court dock to the cells, he looked toward his new partner and grandmother in the public gallery and held up five fingers, indicating the length of his sentence.
