A man who subjected a woman to a campaign of abuse, including physical assaults and intimidation, over more than two years has been jailed.

William Fletcher, 40, had been in a relationship with the victim on and off since February 2021.

In May last year, the victim told him their relationship was over and she was scared of him.

But in the early hours of June 3, Fletcher turned up at the victim’s house, jumped over a fence and forced his way in as she let her dog out.

He assaulted her, kicked a hole in a door, damaged other items and threatened to set fire to the house and stab and kill her if he was arrested.  

Fletcher was arrested and the victim told police about further assaults.

In July 2022, while on a family holiday in Great Yarmouth, an argument broke out during which he grabbed her by the neck, strangled her and pulled her into the sea by her hair.

In February last year, at the victim’s Peterborough home, Fletcher grabbed her by the neck, strangled her, lifted her off the floor and banged her head against a tiled wall.

During the same month, Fletcher also punched her in the jaw and ribs.

On Monday (22 January) at Cambridge Crown Court, Fletcher, of Medworth, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, was jailed for 41 weeks, having pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating and one count of criminal damage, and being found guilty of actual bodily harm following an earlier trial.

Two counts of intentional strangulation were ordered to lie on file. 

Fletcher had been remanded in prison since June last year for these offences as well breaching his licence conditions.   

He was also given a 10-year restraining order. 

DC Kara Halls said: “This was a shocking campaign of domestic abuse by Fletcher so I am glad he is behind bars.

“Domestic abuse is a force priority and we will do everything we can to support victims and bring prosecutions.”