A Nottinghamshire woman was strangled and had a cigarette stubbed out on her head by a 'demonic' attacker. John Chittock subjected the woman to a 'catalogue of violence', assaulting her multiple times between March and June 2022.
Chittock, of Vaughan Avenue, Doncaster, abused his victim multiple times at her home in Nottinghamshire. On June 28, the 38-year-old grabbed the woman by the throat and strangled her before biting her cheek and nose.
Chittock verbally abused the woman as he pinned her down, saying: "I don't care if you are a man or a woman, I will still hurt you all the same." On June 17, a drunken Chittock had stubbed a lit cigarette out on the side of her head, causing burns to her skin and hair, and then forcefully smeared Sudocrem all over her face in an attempt to humiliate her.
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Most of Chittock's attacks were fuelled by alcohol and saw him cause damage to the woman's property multiple times - smashing a gaming console over his own head on one occasion. He also caused further damage to property during a final incident in the early hours of June 29, in which he confronted and assaulted members of the woman's family, before they called the police and he was arrested.
Having pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional strangulation, eight counts of assault by beating, five counts of criminal damage and a further count of sending malicious communications, Chittock attended Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on December 1. Ahead of sentencing, a victim impact statement was read in court, which saw the woman describe how Chittock had become "almost demonic as his drinking became more extensive."
She also added how the ordeal had left her "a shell of the person she was before." Passing sentence, Judge Steven Coupland added: "You subjected this woman to a catalogue of violence and intimidation. She suffered severe anxiety and depression because of what you did.
"On multiple occasions, you lost your temper while in drink. There was no provocation and no reason for you to act in the violent way you did."
Chittock was sentenced to three years in prison and was also handed an indefinite restraining order preventing him from seeing or contacting the woman. PC Jordan Vilums, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "I hope now Chittock has been locked up this woman is now able to move on from the violent and terrifying ordeal she was put through.
“She deserves a huge amount of credit for reporting this incident to police and I hope her brave actions encourage anyone else who has been affected by domestic abuse to contact us, either directly or indirectly, so that we can protect them.
“As a force we treat domestic abuse extremely seriously and will respond swiftly and robustly to reports made to us. I want to reassure anyone who is suffering domestic abuse that Nottinghamshire Police is here to help and support you – you are not alone.
"If you are in danger, please call 999 and we will come to your aid." For more advice on domestic abuse, including how to report it and organisations able to provide support, click here.
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