Husband who treated his wife 'like a prisoner in her own home', forcing her to do lie detector tests and regularly checking her body for signs she was cheating on him, is jailed for two years

A man that subjected his wife to shocking abuse and treated her 'like a prisoner in her own home' has been sentenced to over two years in prison at Peterborough Crown Court. 

Murtaza Syed, 47, coercively controlled his wife and enforced strict rules in an effort to humiliate, degrade and dehumanise her over a span of two years. He did not let her shut the bathroom door and examined her body for marks indicating that she had cheated. 

Syed, of Peterborough, attacked her and stopped her from leaving their home unaccompanied. 

He even made her take a lie detector test and deprived her of a mobile phone or any other electronic devices that she could have used to get help. 

Cambridgeshire Police were first alerted to the abuse when they were called by the woman on February 23. When officers reached the house, she said that she had been abused mentally and physically by Syed for two years. 

She told police the most recent assault took place five days before, on February 18, where he threw a lighter at her eye and punched her repeatedly to the head.

Syed, 47, was arrested at just before 4 a.m. that same day.

The woman later shared more details of the coercive and controlling behaviour, telling police she hadn't had a phone for two years as she wasn't allowed another after Syed broke hers.

She added that she was not allowed to use the internet and Syed constantly changed the pins and passwords for the devices in the house so she couldn't ask for help.

The woman wasn't allowed to leave the house unaccompanied or without permission.

During her interview she described herself as 'not free', and officers noted she was terrified of any repercussions from Syed.

In his police interview, Syed denied all offences posed to him and claimed the woman was making the allegations up.

He did confirm he had made his wife take a lie detector test - which she had passed.

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

Syed was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on July 11 where he was handed two years and six months in prison.

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.'