A grandson’s despicable actions have left his elderly grandparents in dire straits as he threatened them with hammers and knives to extort their pension money. This heartless betrayal rendered them unable to afford basic necessities like heating and food.

Ashley Partington, a 33-year-old father, drained approximately £5,000 from his grandparents’ state and private pensions. The vulnerable couple, stripped of their financial security, had no choice but to rely on food banks for their survival.

The neighbors were appalled by Partington’s reprehensible behavior, which was driven by his struggles with alcoholism.

Earlier this week, Judge Robert Linford sentenced Partington to two and a half years in prison. The sentencing followed his guilty plea to charges of controlling and coercive behavior, along with driving while disqualified.

Judge Linford described the ordeal endured by Partington’s grandparents, aged 85 and 78, as “astonishingly appalling.” They suffered from his coercive control for nearly three years after opening their home to him.

He repaid their kindness by ‘frightening and attacking them, taking their money and selling their things’, the judge added.

Judge Linford continued: ‘You took every penny they had causing them to go to a foodbank to get something to eat. You caused them untold misery.

‘You left them in dire financial circumstances’.

Ashley Partington, 33, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after admitting two counts of controlling and coercive behaviour and driving while banned

Prosecutor Nick Lewin told Plymouth Crown Court: ‘They were unable to put food on the table or heat their own home.’

Mr Partington also sold anything of value – personal items and kitchen equipment – to feed his addictions, the court heard.

At the same time, he also used their Motability car and racked up debts from speeding tickets he had got in their name. Mr Partington was disqualified from driving at the time because of a bad driving record.

The terrible saga was dragged out for around 30 months, the elderly couple said in a victim statement, after Mr Partington refused to move out of their front room.

Problems started when he began asking for small amounts of money, but his demands became bigger and more unmanageable as time went on.

Deception was another way that he would try to swindle them out of money, lying that the police had fined him for £80 and that he would be jailed if it was not paid.

They went to a Plymouth police station to give him the cash and later found out he used it to go to a nightclub.

He would also lie about topping up the electricity meter and their power would go out the next day in their city flat, as Mr Partington pocketed the money.

Judge Robert Linford said Mr Partington subjected his own grandparents ‘astonishingly appalling conduct’ when he was sentenced earlier this week

His grandfather was unable to sleep because of the threats he made against them, he said.

The pensioner suffered two heart attacks in 2024 and 2025, and only survived the second one because a paramedic crew was around the corner.

Strain was also put on the couples relationship, he added, as his wife tried to hide the accounts because they would argue about what was going on.

‘It was tearing us apart’, he said. 

Since Mr Partington, of Pier Street, Plymouth, was remanded in jail the couple have been able to buy food and heat their home, even getting new furniture for their home.

Mr Partington’s lawyer said the defendant can see how his grandparents felt scared and threatened by him and his impact on them.

Miss Francesca Whebell said: ‘These two people cared very much for him for the entirety of his life. He was in the grip of significant addictions.’

He is now clean of drink after being remanded in prison, she added.

‘He wants to be the person that he used to be known as before,’ she said and wants to repay his grandparents by ‘righting the wrongs’.

The judge also banned him from driving for four years and imposed a five year restraining order which stops him contacting his grandparents.