A man has been jailed after strangling his girlfriend until she passed out. Adam Marchant, 32, of West End, Whittlesey, near Peterborough, put his partner through a “terrifying” situation as he pulled the victim from the car, pinned her against another vehicle with his hands around her throat, and caused her to pass out. According to Cambridgeshire Constabulary, the man would become angry if the victim contacted her child’s father over childcare arrangements. In February, he accused her of speaking to the child’s father while driving home from a friend’s house.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Marchant grabbed the steering wheel, causing the car to hit a metal flood gate. He then jumped out, dragged the victim into the passenger seat, and drove back to their home at speed, police have reported. Marchant then pulled the victim from the car, forced her against another vehicle, and gripped her throat until she lost consciousness.
When she tried to escape, he put her in a headlock and dragged her back inside, taking her phone so she couldn’t call for help. After locking the door, Marchant stood in front of it clutching a knife, telling the victim she could not leave and threatened to kill himself while self-harming. Eventually, when Marchant put the keys down, the victim managed to grab them, run to her car, lock herself inside, and call police.
Detective Constable Elouise Hicks, who investigated the matter, said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim, and I commend her bravery in escaping and contacting us.
“Domestic abuse in any form is unacceptable, and we will continue to do everything we can to bring offenders to justice and protect victims.”
In September, Marchant pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional strangulation, driving while disqualified, and using a motor vehicle on a road without third-party insurance.
At Cambridge Crown Court on Friday, 21 November, he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, handed a 10-year restraining order, and disqualified from driving for two years and four months.
