A woman who repeatedly assaulted her blind husband, using her hands and then weapons to inflict domestic violence which worsened during the first national lockdown, has been jailed.
Fifty-year-old Donna Michelle Moore, also known as Donna Michelle White, married the man less than a year after meeting him in September, 2018.
Carlisle Crown Court heard he was registered blind, needed a stick and had other difficulties.
As Moore took the lead in their relationship and the man moved into her Kendal home, he lost contact with family and friends.
And as concerns grew over his well-being when he also stopped attending a weekly club, a charity worker called at his home and saw dried blood around his mouth, and scratches on his face, hands and arms.
After police were alerted, officers went to the house in May, 2020, and were told by Moore she had coronavirus.
But when one PC began calling an ambulance, Moore initially denied there was any violence in the relationship before spraying the officer from an aerosol bottle.
Her husband later told police how the assaults began around November 2019, and that things had become worse during lockdown, the court heard.
“The assaults involved him being struck with her hands but progressed to him being beaten with weapons,” said prosecutor Tim Evans.
“Ironically, the weapon of choice was a wooden samurai sword that had been given to him by his dad and was seized from the address.
“She would beat him ‘over and over again’ with the edge of the sword on the arms, back, legs and bottom.”
The man told police: “I couldn’t see her and the blows just kept coming so I never had the chance to stop her or protect myself.”
Moore admitted three actual bodily harm assaults on the man which occurred on separate dates and left him with a fractured nose, fractured finger and dislodged tooth.
She also admitted assaulting an emergency worker.
After hearing submissions on her behalf, Recorder David Temkin QC imposed an immediate 12-month jail term, and a three-year restraining order.
Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Isla Chilton, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Some male victims of domestic abuse choose not to come forward to report the abuse to the police. This can be for a variety of reasons, including fear that their masculinity may appear to be diminished.
“This case shows that the CPS is committed to securing justice for all victims, both male and female, and we apply our policies fairly and equally.”
