A domestic abuser who attacked his girlfriend on three different occasions and once left her with a broken rib has been jailed for more than two year
The girlfriend of Jamie Willis, 31, of Tweedale, Cambridge, first told police about the pattern of abuse in December.
The first incident, which took place in November at Christ’s Pieces in the city, saw Willis punch the woman in the face after becoming verbally aggressive.
The punch knocked the woman to the floor and, not stopping there, Willis kicked her repeatedly to her upper body.
The woman screamed for help, but her screams went unheard as it was the early hours of the morning. After a while, Willis pulled her up from the ground by her coat and told her he “didn’t hit her that hard.”
The pair walked home in silence. After a week Willis’ girlfriend was still in extreme pain so she visited hospital and was told she had a broken rib.
Willis apologised and the pair rekindled their relationship, but things turned sour once again less than a month later.
On December 15, the pair were at the woman’s home when Willis told her he was going out for around half an hour.
The woman said she would do the same and go and see a family member, but Willis began arguing with her and told her he didn’t want her going out.
Willis then hit the woman to the back with an extendable baton. He immediately apologised, but then told her “I just want you to stay in.”
He left the flat but later stormed back in as the woman was on the phone to police. Willis grabbed the phone from her hand and knocked out her earring.
Willis was arrested on the same day and in police interview gave a prepared statement to officers in which he denied all of the offences against him.
However, he later pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm and one of assault by beating.
DC Marcus Johnson, who investigated, said: “Willis has shown little if no remorse and I hope the sentence imposed in this case highlights how serious both the police and the courts take domestic abuse such as this.
“The strong and overwhelming evidence, coupled with the determination of the victim to see the case through, were the main reasons that Willis eventually pleaded guilty before he was due to stand trial.
“The victim was subjected to sustained physical abuse and I would like to thank her for trusting us to bring her abuser to justice.
“Tackling domestic abuse is one of our main priorities and we will always give victims a voice. I hope this case sends a clear message that we are there for victims and will do all that we can to protect them.”
Willis was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on the same day (10 June) where he was handed a total of 27 months in prison for the offences. He was also given a 10-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting his former partner.
Anyone who is a victim of domestic abuse is strongly urged 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
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