DOMESTIC ABUSER RECEIVES 10 YEARS AND RESTRAINING ORDER FOR BRUTAL ASSAULT IN MARCH

George Cunningham, 25, of Deerfield Road, March, punched his girlfriend of three years with force to her legs, arms, and shoulders, resulting in extensive bruising. The assault only came to light after the victim confided in a family member, who advised her to call the police. Cunningham’s aggressive behavior began after he experienced a family Bereavement in December 2018, leading to ongoing arguments. In November 2019, he physically attacked the woman, hitting her with his fists and hands, and also used a nearly empty plastic drinks bottle during the assault. Following his arrest, Cunningham remained silent during police interviews. On July 23, at Peterborough Crown Court, he received a ten-year restraining order after admitting to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) during a previous hearing. Additionally, he was sentenced to 13 months in prison, suspended for 40 months, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. DC James Bennett, who led the investigation, stated: “This was a nasty assault and the victim did exactly the right thing in confiding in someone close to her and calling the police. No one deserves to be abused, especially in their own home, and I would like to thank the woman for trusting us to bring Cunningham to justice for his actions. Domestic abuse often hides behind closed doors, but I hope this case sends a clear message that we are there for victims and will do all that we can to protect them. We would strongly urge anyone who is a victim of domestic abuse to contact police on 101 or call the national domestic violence helpline on 0808 2000 247. For more advice and support on domestic abuse, visit www.cambs.police.uk/domesticabuse.