DURHAM MAN SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE AGAINST GIRLFRIEND

A woman has publicly supported the four-year prison sentence given to her former partner, Dennis Moore, who subjected her to prolonged violence and abuse. Moore, aged 28 and residing in Flag Terrace, Sunniside, near Crook, County Durham, admitted to assaulting, unlawfully wounding, and instilling fear of violence in his girlfriend, Sarah Holloway. The assaults included stabbing her with a knife, hitting her with a baseball bat, burning cigarettes on her body, and whipping her with a dog chain. These violent acts occurred over a period of five years, from January 2003 to July of the previous year. The abuse only stopped after a neighbor alerted the police following hearing an assault. Police entered the house through an upstairs window and found Miss Holloway frightened in a corner. The court heard that Moore, who has three children with her, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court after pleading guilty to assault and other charges. Miss Holloway, aged 21, expressed her relief and satisfaction with the sentence, stating, 'He took my family and my friends away, and he took me out of myself – I used to be a bubbly person until I met him.' She praised the support group Survivors of Domestic Abuse and encouraged others in similar situations to seek police help. Detective Sergeant Jim Cunningham acknowledged her bravery and emphasized that this case shows that courts now treat domestic abuse very seriously. Judge Brian Forster described Moore as having a 'Jekyll and Hyde character,' noting his dual personality: 'On the outside, you’re hard working and liked by people at work, but when you return home you’re abusive and violent. You used her as a punchbag, particularly when in drink.' The defense solicitor asked the judge to acknowledge Moore’s guilty pleas, mention his supportive family, and noted his intention to care for his unwell mother upon release.