Summary of successful domestic abuse cases

Lionel Idan, the London South Chief Crown Prosecutor, introduces a summary of recent domestic abuse cases.

“Gender-based violence is an issue that we are all too familiar with. Nearly one in three women report being abused in their lifetime. What is more, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this societal problem. Sadly, police figures show a sharp rise in the number of women affected by domestic violence through the various lockdowns.

“As the Chief Crown Prosecutor for London South and the Chair of our Violence Against Women and Girls Local Scrutiny Involvement Panel, I am determined to keep this subject at the forefront of everything we do. Gender-based violence is despicable – it can and must be prevented.

“We in CPS London South believe strongly that change begins from within. Throughout the ongoing 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign we have invited a series of speakers to engage our staff in discussions about their work and experiences in order to help inform and guide our prosecutions.

“Domestic Abuse can have a devastating impact and this is why victims are at the heart of everything we do. We continue to work closely with our criminal justice partners such as the Metropolitan Police, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and community groups, to build and present strong cases in court so that perpetrators can be brought to justice successfully.

“Below is a summary of recent domestic abuse cases in which we successfully secured convictions against perpetrators. I hope these outcomes will encourage other victims of gender-based violence to come forward and report their experiences to the police."

• A man with a history of domestic violence against his partner was jailed after evidence collated from an independent witness. The couple had been homeless and on the day of the attack, while they were setting up their tent, the defendant became aggressive. A neighbour witnessed him spit at the victim and kick her in the shin. The defendant pleaded guilty to assault by beating and was sentenced to 20 weeks' imprisonment.
• In another case a pregnant woman was punched multiple times on her stomach by her abusive partner who smashed a window in to get to her. During the trial the defendant had claimed he had attacked his partner in self-defence. However, he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty part-way through the trial after the distressing 999 call of the incident was played to the courtroom, and evidence showing police officers attending the scene was shown. The defendant was sentenced to 24 weeks in custody.
• A husband who subjected his wife of 10 years to controlling and coercive behaviour was recently convicted. The defendant, a father of two, was physically and verbally abusive, controlled his partner’s finances and even placed a camera in the family home in order to control his wife’s activities. Through the camera, which also had a microphone and speaker, the defendant would  speak to his victim asserting further control while away. During the trial the prosecution was able to present photographic evidence of the victim’s physical injuries and a video of the defendant threatening to force his victim to drink bleach, which allowed jurors to find him guilty.