Angel Lynn, an 18-year-old college student from Loughborough, dreamed of becoming a forensic scientist. Known for her bubbly and adventurous spirit, Angel’s life took a tragic turn after entering a relationship with Chay Bowskill.
The Guardian reported that Angel’s relationship with Bowskill, also 18 at the time, began in late 2019. It didn’t take long for her mother, Nikki Lynn, to notice worrying changes in her daughter’s behavior. “Small things, individually,” Nikki recalls in a Channel 4 documentary. “I just never added them all up”.
The Subtle Signs of Coercive Control
Angel, previously meticulous about her appearance, started wearing baggy tracksuits and neglecting her hair and makeup—a stark departure from her usual self. Her social life dwindled, and her demeanor changed, especially around Bowskill. Nikki observed, “She’d be snappy if he was waiting outside in the car, suddenly agitated and in a massive rush.”
During a brief period when Bowskill was imprisoned for conspiracy to commit burglary, Angel seemed to return to her old self. However, his release reversed these improvements and the control resumed. This was highlighted by a disturbing incident where Bowskill demanded money from Angel, leading to a heated confrontation at the Lynn family home.
“He was in Angel’s face screaming: ‘I want my fucking money. You’ve spent some of it’. He was yelling about £80,” Nikki explained. “We paid him the cash, and told him to never come back again. Once he’d left, Angel turned to me and told me I was just making things worse.” Nikki has expressed deep regret that she just didn’t recognize the signs or dangers at the time.
Looking back, Nikki recognizes the patterns of coercive and controlling behavior that aimed to make her daughter dependent by isolating her from support, exploiting her, stripping away her independence, and dictating her daily activities. In the UK, such actions have been legally recognized as criminal offenses since 2015.
Kidnapping and Life-Altering Injuries of Angel Lynn
Sadly, Angel’s story ended in tragedy when, in September 2020, Bowskill and an accomplice, Rocco Sansome, abducted Angel and forced her into a van. While the vehicle sped along a major road at 60mph, Angel fell headfirst onto the road, sustaining a severe brain injury. Bowskill abandoned her in the middle of the road. To this day, it has not been proven whether Angel tried to escape or was pushed from the van, the latter being the most likely scenario.
Following the incident, authorities discovered controlling and abusive voice and text messages from Bowskill on Angel’s phone. He was subsequently convicted of kidnapping, coercive and controlling behavior, and obstructing justice.
Due to Angel’s inability to testify, the jury could not convict Bowskill of intentional grievous bodily harm. Initially, he received a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence. However, deeming the sentence too lenient, the Solicitor General appealed, and in March 2022, the Court of Appeal extended Bowskill’s sentence to 12 years.
Angel Lynn’s Long Road to Recovery
Today, Angel faces a challenging recovery; she communicates through a tablet, cannot walk or talk, and requires constant care and various therapies. Her mother stresses the importance of education on coercive control for both young people and adults. “In schools, young people need to be taught what to be aware of from an early age. Adults need to be educated, too,” Nikki insists. She hopes sharing Angel’s story will prevent other families from enduring similar tragedies.
Angel Lynn’s ordeal sheds light on the devastating impact of coercive control, a recognized criminal offense in the UK since 2015. Her story is a grim reminder of the importance of recognizing early signs of manipulation and taking action before it escalates to irreversible consequences.
References
The Kidnap of Angel Lynn. Channel 4 documentary. Available on YouTube.
Featured image: Angela Lynn. Image: Screenshot / Channel 4 documentary.
