A domestic abuser who struck mortal terror into his partner is starting a prison sentence today.
Michael Saunders’ ex-girlfriend suffered the worst effects of domestic violence ever seen by an experienced support worker.
She waited until he was asleep to make a hushed, emotional 999 call from his home at 1.27am.
She cried as she told the operator she had been “battered all over”, Teesside Crown Court heard.
She did not want the police to arrest her partner as she was scared of the consequences and feared her life might be in danger.
She simply wanted to tell someone in a recorded call “in case something happened to her”, said prosecutor Harry Hadfield today.
She would not give her assailant’s surname or her location, but the call was traced and police went to his home on Peaton Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough.
Officers forced their way in and found the victim petrified and shaking, with a swollen face and a bruised left arm on July 25 last year.
She would not have photographs taken of her injuries and did not give a statement until months later.
She told how Saunders dragged her up the stairs by her legs and told her: “You’re one of those types of girls who phones the police.”
She said he wanted power over her in their seven-month relationship and once put her in a “sleeper hold”, putting his arms around her throat so she could not breathe and lost consciousness.
She since had regular panic attacks, took medication for her anxiety, could not work and took counselling.
She moved away, but would not come to court and threatened to take her own life.
A support worker said that in 15 years of working with domestic abuse victims, this woman was the most affected.
She was described as “a complete emotional wreck” - quiet, withdrawn, still frightened of her former partner and adamant her life was in danger.
Saunders admitted harassment causing fear of violence.
His 31 previous offences included conspiring to supply heroin in 2004 and causing grievous bodily harm with intent and false imprisonment of a woman in 2008.
He was given a suspended sentence in 2010 for perverting the course of justice by threatening a woman to withdraw allegations against him.
Glenn Carrasco, defending, said Saunders “reacted badly”, regretted the incidents and showed “genuine and considerable remorse”.
He told how Saunders could be supportive and caring and had tried to improve his life.
Saunders worked as a barber, looked after his disabled mother and kept out of trouble for nine months.
Mr Carrasco said the victim sent Saunders letters in prison, though they were no longer in contact.
Judge Peter Bowers said this merely showed “half of the person still has an affection for you, the other half hates what you do”.
He added: “This case highlights the effects of domestic violence.
“This case is about a course of conduct which instils fear, instils the threat of violence which has the effect of controlling people and making them psychologically incapable of looking after themselves.
“That terror persists, and at times quite obviously she continues to have significant psychological damage.”
He jailed Saunders for two-and-a-half years.
No comments:
Post a Comment