Man who pushed girlfriend down stairs is sentenced

A man who doused his girlfriend in bleach before pushing her down a flight of stairs has been sentenced.

Oliver Sheaf, 20 and the victim were at the YMCA in Cambridge when an argument broke out at about 9.30pm on 30 January this year.

Sheaf, who had been drinking, threw a dustpan and brush at the victim before punching and kicking her.

He then poured bleach onto the victim’s clothes and used his hand to muffle her screams for help.

As the attack spilled out to the stairwell, CCTV captured Sheaf as he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the floor.

Despite the victim trying to kick him off, Sheaf continued to punch her several times before pushing her down the stairs.

A member of staff rushed to the scene as the attack continued as the victim lay at the foot of the stairs.

The victim was left with bruising and cuts to her body, and two lumps on her head.

Hours later, officers found Sheaf at the city’s train station where he was arrested for the assault and for possessing cannabis.

On Wednesday (4 December), at Peterborough Crown Court, Sheaf, of no fixed abode in the Hertsmere area of Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm (ABH) and possessing cannabis.

He was sentenced to one year at a young offenders’ institution.

PC David Tyler, who investigated, said: “Sheaf showed no remorse while watching the CCTV footage of him attacking the victim.

“Our officers are determined to hold every perpetrator of domestic abuse to account. If you are a victim or know someone who is, or has been, affected by domestic abuse, please get in touch.”

Victims of domestic abuse are urged to contact police or call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

To report concerns, or for more advice and support on domestic abuse, including coercive control, visit the force’s dedicated domestic abuse web page.

Oliver Sheaf