Husband treated Wife ‘Like a Prisoner in her Own Home’

A husband has been jailed for subjecting his wife to shocking abuse and treating her “like a prisoner in her own home”.

Murtaza Syed coercively controlled his wife and enforced strict rules to humiliate, degrade and dehumanise her over two years.

He did not allow her to shut the bathroom door and examined her body for any marks that suggested she had cheated on him.

Cambridgeshire Police were first alerted when the woman called them on February 23, 2024.

When officers arrived at the house, she said she had been physically and mentally abused by Syed for two years.

The most recent abuse took place on February 18 when Syed threw a lighter at her eye and repeatedly punched her in the head.

Peterborough Crown Court heard Syed was arrested just before 4 am that same day.

The woman later told police she did not have a phone for two years because she was not allowed another after Syed broke hers.

She was not allowed to use the internet and Syed constantly changed the pin numbers and passwords for the devices in their home so she could not ask for help.

Syed prevented his wife from leaving the house unaccompanied or without permission.

During her interview, the victim described herself as “not free”, and officers noted she was terrified of any repercussions from her husband.

In his police interview, Syed denied the offences and claimed his wife was making the allegations up.

He admitted he had made his wife take a lie detector test – which she had passed.

Syed later pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour and one count of causing actual bodily harm (ABH).

He was jailed for two years and six months.

A restraining order was also made indefinitely, preventing him from contacting his victim.

Detective Sergeant Louis Scott said: “The impact of Syed’s behaviour on his wife shouldn’t be underestimated; she was left feeling helpless and like a prisoner in her own home.

“No person should have to suffer this kind of abuse and it’s important to also highlight that domestic abuse isn’t always just physical.

“Victims can also suffer from the threat and fear of injury, daily intimidation and having every aspect of their life monitored and controlled.

“Coercive control is a criminal offence, and as this case highlights, we take all reports of it very seriously.

“We would strongly urge anyone who is a victim of domestic abuse to contact police or call the national domestic violence helpline on 0808 2000 247.”