An abuser who used a comb to stab his wife in the stomach and coercively controlled her for nearly a year has been jailed.

Blessing Maponga, 44, first came to the attention of police in November when he called his wife’s employer claiming he was being abused by her.

However, during the call the man could hear his employee screaming in the background and pleading for him to call the police.

The woman’s employer did so and officers then contacted the woman, who confided in them that Maponga had been violent towards her.

She said that in August, during an argument, he had pulled parts of her hair out and used a tail comb to stab her in the stomach.

A pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour between January and November last year also came to light – with Maponga not allowing his wife to leave their marriage despite her asking multiple times.

He also threatened to control access to everything she had, threatened to have her deported and often wiped her phone data and memory.

One witness reported hearing the pair arguing and Maponga trying to snap his wife’s driving licence in half.

Maponga, of Station Road, Wilburton, Ely, was arrested but denied the allegations against him.

However, he was charged and, on the day his trial was due to begin at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday (23 June), admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and coercive and controlling behaviour.

He was sentenced on the same day to one year and one month behind bars.

A restraining order was also made for three years, preventing him from having any contact with his victim.