A man from Watford has been jailed for more than two years after four assaults in a week against a woman.
Martin Sainty, 55, was sentenced on Thursday, November 11 following an evidence-led investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Domestic Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (DAISU).
Officers attended a number of reports of violent incidents perpetrated by Sainty against the woman during the course of a week in September last year. The victim suffered severe bruising over her legs and body, as well as cuts and bruising to her face. Initially, she told officers he had punched her in the face, pulled her hair, kicked and attempted to strangle her.
The attending officers captured evidence of her injuries on their body-worn video cameras and phones. Sainty was arrested on each occasion and released on bail with strict conditions not to visit the woman. However, on the third occasion, officers found Sainty hiding in a wardrobe in the woman’s home.
The DAISU gathered evidence from third party witnesses to build a case against Sainty. They also worked to make sure he was remanded while court proceedings were on-going. They worked with the GPS tagging service and established that Sainty was routinely breaching his bail conditions.
As a result, Sainty was remanded in custody again until his hearing at St Albans Crown Court last week where he pleaded guilty to two counts of actual bodily harm and two of common assault. He was given four custodial sentences totalling two years and two months, to be served on consecutively.
The officer in the case, Detective Constable Natasha Crombie said: “This case involved teamwork on many levels, from the officers captured video and photo evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service and counsel who helped build the case against Sainty.
“The victim did not feel she could support police action. We understand that it is not always easy for people who are stuck in a cycle of abuse to fully understand what is happening. However, with this case and others, we’ve shown we can still build a strong case and hold perpetrators of abuse to account. I hope Sainty now reflects on his actions and the harm he has caused.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, call the Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy Service on 0300 790 6772 for advice and support. For more information go to hertssunflower.org.
The Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse Helpline also provides free, confidential and anonymous support service for anyone affected by domestic abuse. Call 08 088 088 088 Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm, weekends and Bank Holidays from 9am to 4pm or email in confidence.
In an emergency, always call 999. If you are afraid to speak, call 999 from a mobile and press 5, 5.
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