ABUSER WHO ATTACKED AND CONTROLLED GIRLFRIEND CLAIMING HE DID IT FOR LOVE
A man from Duxford in Cambridgeshire, aged 23, who subjected his girlfriend to physical assaults and exercised control over her life, citing his actions as expressions of love, has been sentenced to two years in prison.William Graham, who met the woman in 2019, saw their relationship deteriorate over time, with Graham preventing her from seeing friends.
Despite her attempts to leave, he convinced her to stay or threatened self-harm, asserting that his behavior was motivated by his love for her, according to police statements.
The woman recounted frequent incidents where Graham would grab her or twist her arm behind her back.
His violence extended to punching, slapping, and damaging four of her mobile phones.
Her decision to leave was prompted after Graham struck her hard enough to cause a black eye.
She stayed with a friend, but Graham, claiming he might harm himself, asked her to visit him.
Upon her arrival, he kicked her in the stomach and destroyed her new phone, telling her she had no evidence of the abuse.
Graham was scheduled for trial at Peterborough Crown Court in February.
However, on the day court proceedings were to begin, he pleaded guilty to charges of coercive and controlling behavior along with assault causing actual bodily harm.
He received a two-year custodial sentence and an indefinite restraining order which bans him from contacting her in any manner.
PC Christian Effenburg commented, The stories of abuse in this case are shocking and Graham thought he could make his girlfriend’s life a misery and avoid being caught.
"He was wrong.
"No person should have to suffer this kind of abuse and I would like to applaud the woman’s bravery in coming forwards.
"Domestic abuse isn’t always just physical.
Victims can also suffer from the threat and fear of injury, daily intimidation and having every aspect of their life monitored and controlled.
"Coercive control is a criminal offence, and we take all reports of it very seriously.“
