A film and TV actor with a foot fetish who ordered his girlfriend to wear socks at all times - even in the bath - during their 'kinky' 18-month relationship has received a 32 months jail term for his controlling behaviour towards her.

But the sentence imposed at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday (Feb 8) means Gavin Eyles, 37, will very soon be free  - because he had already served his time while in custody on remand.

Eyles, 37, of Royal Oak Close, Chippenham, Wilts, who appeared in the 2018 film Hurricane and also in Disney's Muppets 2, pleaded guilty to two offences of using controlling and coercive behaviour towards the woman, from Lydney, Glos, between March 1, 2019 and August 21, 2020.

He also admitted stalking the woman between August 19, 2020 and September 19, 2021, causing her serious alarm or distress.

 

Eyles' acting work has included a small speaking part in 'Harry Hill: The Movie' as well as roles in adverts for Renault, IBM and Vodafone.

The court heard that Eyles made the woman bathe with her socks on, demeaned her when she displeased him and dictated what she could watch on TV.

He would tell her, and others, that she was was mentally ill as part of his control of her affairs, said David Maunder, prosecuting.

Eyles also told her what shoes and clothing she could wear and insisted that she wear socks all the time and never exposed her feet.

On one occasion he hid inside a wardrobe in her home as part of his stalking of her.

While in prison on remand he had phoned the woman 128 times and investigators later found that he had listed her on the phone as Judy Hopps - a character from the film Zootopia Troppalis in which he had appeared.

Eyles and the woman had met on social media in March 2019 and he admitted to her that he had been convicted in 2008 of causing a former partner actual bodily harm by cutting off her hair as she slept, said the prosecutor.

Eyles had also been jailed in 2010 for 42 days for coercive behaviour towards the same ex-partner, Mr Maunder said. 

Gradually Eyles began to control his new girlfriend's movements and the situation worsened when he moved in with her at the start of the pandemic, he said.

“He soon became jealous of her having contact with other people. He would constantly criticise her and run down her friends. 

“He stopped her from seeing her friends she had known since school. He made her feel guilty about seeing her own family.  He began monitoring the use of her mobile phone.

“He also 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 told her she was stupid and uneducated. He would force her to indulge in certain fetishes.”

At that point in yesterday's hearing, Eyles screamed out that he had heard enough and he left the dock to go down to the cells below.

Mr Maunder continued “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 also insist that she bathe with her socks on. He also had kinky habits in the bedroom, which frightened the woman.”

Eyles then returned to the dock and Judge Ian Lawrie QC warned him: “This is a courtroom, not a film set!”

Mr Maunder went on: “Eyles also has an objection to various smells, including the creams the woman used as part of her medication. 

“He would threaten to kill himself if she ended the relationship. 

“She wanted to end it in July 2020 but he tried to convince her she was suffering from mental trauma. 

“The police and other bodies then became involved and she told him to return to his own home. 

“However, Eyles then began his campaign of stalking her. 

“On August 22, the woman went out with friends for the first time since the pandemic started and got drunk. She accidentally sent a message to Eyles.

“She stayed with a friend that night and when she returned home the following day they searched her house and it appeared empty. However, a glass pane fell out of the door window, which made them search again.

“The woman found Eyles’ knees sticking out at the bottom of her wardrobe. She states that at that moment she was the most scared that she had ever been in her life.

“She fled the house screaming and went to a neighbour’s property. On returning with the neighbour she found that Eyles had made himself a drink and had disturbed things around the house. He also left her a note which stated he loved her and had been since the start of the relationship.

“Eyles had written or scratched ‘Gavin’ in a number of places around the house, including her make-up stool.”

The court was told that Eyles was arrested on August 27 and given bail conditions not to contact his victim and not to enter Gloucestershire but he then began a protracted harassment campaign.

"She began receiving silent calls. She could hear romantic songs being played down the line, songs that she and Eyles had talked about using for their future wedding," said Mr Maunder.

“Eyles was re-arrested on September 18 and suggested that she had mental health issues and had made the allegations up. 

“He was remanded by Cheltenham magistrates the following day. However, he started phoning her from prison on February 2, 2021 and she heard him sobbing and saying he was sorry. He played Jennifer Lopez’s 'Baby I love You' down the phone to her. 

“He said he was overwhelmed hearing her voice. He said she had the most beautiful voice in the world. She felt tortured by this. 

“He rang her late on February 13 to wish her a happy Valentine’s day."

The court was told that an investigation was carried out in prison and it was found Eyles had been phoned the woman 128 times. She was listed on the phone as Judy Hopps.

The court heard that Eyles was bailed on September 10, 2021 but then continued his harassment of the woman. 

“The victim woke up the next day to find that Eyles had changed her Netflix profile and had started watching Twilight, a film that they had watched together at the beginning of their relationship,” said Mr Maunder. 

“Four days later she returned to her Netflix account and noticed that the film Hurricane had been watched – a film that Eyles had appeared in.

"He was re-arrested on September 17 and a number of electronic devices were seized. Eyles was remanded back into prison by the courts."

In a statement the woman said: “During the 18-month relationship I felt worthless. I felt I was living on the edge. Eyles constantly made me feel stupid by suggesting that I had mental health issues.

"Because of my declining health and my anxiety I felt I had low self-esteem. My physical appearance changed.

“After the relationship was over, I still felt as if I was being monitored all the time. I even checked the teddy bear on top of my wardrobe to see if it had a hidden camera in it.

“Whilst he was in prison he still managed to contact me, even though he was prohibited from doing so.  I thought he would never go away.

“I don’t know as I can ever trust a man again. 

“I feel like a nervous wreck all the time. The effect it has had on me has made me feel very anxious. He would get sexually aroused if I got upset.

"I can’t understand why somebody would do what Eyles did. He left me feeling hurt. He used me as his plaything."

Peter Binder, for Eyles, said: “He tried to improve the woman’s wellbeing by controlling her smoking and drinking. He admits trying to influence her clothing but denies that he was a dictator.

“Basically he couldn’t let go. He put his needs before hers. He now recognises that he has issues with his emotional make-up. It is hoped that when he is released from prison, he gets the attention he needs from the professionals."

Judge Lawrie told Eyles: “A lot of your offending over the past few years is extremely disturbing. Whatever interpretation you put on it, to me it is sinister. 

"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. 

“You tried to scare her off from giving evidence in your trial, but regardless of your efforts, she still made her way to court. 

“Her courage in coming to court is to be applauded. 

“You are a bully and clearly a control freak. You didn’t care that what you were doing had an effect on her life. 

“You haunted her, you questioned her, you caused her untold distress. You put pressure on her right up to the last moment of these court proceedings and you invaded the sanctity of her home, causing her additional emotional stress.

“You clearly merit custody, but as you’ve served a long time on remand – the equivalent of a three-year prison sentence - it is likely that you will be released shortly.”

The judge jailed Eyles for two years and eight months and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £170. He also subjected him to a ten-year restraining order not to contact his victim by any means and prohibited him from entering Gloucestershire. 

Judge Lawrie concluded: “Your advocate indicated that as an actor you might be required to work in the county at some point, but I am afraid you cannot be trusted.

"Additionally your victim needs reassurance that you will not be lurking around the corner from her home. 

“I hope you have learnt a valuable lesson about treating women with respect and restraint.”