Husband jailed for treating wife 'like a prisoner'

Murtaza Syed was jailed after pleading guilty at Peterborough Crown Court

A husband who made his wife take a lie detector test and abused her for two years has been jailed for two and a half years.

Murtaza Syed, 47, from Peterborough, also deprived her of a phone and electronic devices so she could not get help, Cambridgeshire Police said.

He pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour and one count of causing actual bodily harm, at Peterborough Crown Court.

Police said his actions left the woman "feeling helpless and like a prisoner in her own home".

The force said he made rules to "humiliate, degrade and dehumanise her".

She managed to report the mental and physical abuse on 23 February, five days after he assaulted her by throwing a lighter at her eye, and repeatedly punched her in the head.

Syed was arrested shortly after.

'Not free'

The woman said she was banned from using the internet and Syed constantly changed Pin codes and passwords for devices, so she could not ask for help.

She told police she was "not free" and was terrified of any repercussions.

Det Sgt Louis Scott said: "The impact of Syed’s behaviour... shouldn’t be underestimated; [the victim] was left feeling helpless.

"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."

Syed was also handed a retraining order, preventing him from contacting the victim.