Waterlooville man accused of instructing woman to have breast surgery and strangling and slapping her
A Waterlooville man has appeared in court after allegedly strangling, slapping and grabbing a woman’s head, as well as instructing her to undergo breast surgery.
David Chandler, 56, of Hart Plain Avenue, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court facing charges of coercive control, intentional strangulation and assault - which he denied.
The court heard between 23 June 2024 and 30 June 2025 when he was “personally connected” to the complainant, Chandler “engaged in behaviour that was controlling or coercive which had a serious effect” on her.
The defendant’s alleged behaviour was said to have caused “serious alarm or distress which had a substantial adverse effect on her usual day-to-day activities”. The first charge for coercive control includes allegations of Chandler uttering threats of violence if the woman would not do as he stated.
He is also accused of assaulting the female by “strangling her, grabbing her head, slapping her, pulling her hair, and restraining her”.
A second charge of coercive control, running between the same date as the first charge, stated: “He instructed the woman to undergo breast surgery to alter her appearance in front of other men. He monitored when she went out, setting time limits, and frequently checking up on her by phoning her.
“He controlled her use of her own phone, and he checked it to determine how she had used the phone. He controlled what she would wear, and what clothing she could buy. He accused her of looking at other men and prevented her from speaking to other men.”
The charge added: “(Chandler) made threats to damage the address and property of the complainant and property belonging to her mother and son.
“He controlled the way she ran her business, namely that he changed the name of the business, he prevented the business from having any male customers, he controlled what treatments could be carried out, he forced changes to the signage and appearance of the business, he forced the deletion of social media accounts, and he damaged property belonging to the business.”
Chandler has also been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an incident on 23 June 2025 on the same woman. And on 29 March 2025 he is also accused of intentionally strangling the woman.
Chandler denies the charges with the case sent for trial on 8 December when he will reappear at court.