Jailed: Maghull taxi driver who hit wife with an axe and held her captive for three days 17 years for David Churchill, 52, who set fire to home causing young family next door to flee for their lives A controlling bully who hit his wife with an axe, held her captive for three days and set fire to their home causing another family to flee for their lives was jailed.
Taxi driver David Churchill, 52, was arrested for growing cannabis worth £40,000 at his house on Norfolk Road, Maghull, in March prompting his wife of 10 years to dump him.
But they remained in the same house despite barely speaking to each other.
In September matters came to a head during an argument over the TV when he punched June Churchill and grabbed her round the throat.
He was arrested and bailed on the condition he not approach her.
The next day she was woken at midnight to the sound of Churchill smashing his way into the house with an axe.
Ian Criddle, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that Churchill burst into the bedroom, saying: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
He tied her by her wrists and ankles and gagged her, before hitting her in the chest and head with the axe, leaving gaping wounds.
He then dragged her to the bathroom and made her sit on the toilet while he cut her neck and back with a rusty Stanley knife.
The court heard she feared “her end was nigh” and that Churchill was going to cut her head off.
He tied his wife to the bed and kept her captive for the next three days while he played online poker and arranged his finances while she pleaded with him not to kill her.
During that time he “dressed” her wounds with an old T-shirt which he secured with gaffer tape.
Eventually she persuaded him to take her to hospital but as they left in the early hours of October 3 he used paint thinner to set the house on fire.
The neighbours of their sem-detached property, Alison and John Kavanagh, had to flee for the lives with their children aged seven and eight, after being woken by members of the public.
They were told by fire fighters they would have died if they had not been warned of the fire.
Mrs Kavanagh said their lives had changed forever and it would be nine months before they could move back in, saying that while she appreciated the “horrendous ordeal” June Churchill had been put through she felt her family were the “forgotten victims”.
Former Walton florist June Churchill, who described the ordeal as “being like a horror film” was treated for a fractured skull, broken spine and multiple stab injuries while her husband dropped of his hackney cab at his brother’s along with £5,000 in cash and then handed himself in, telling police: “I’m one of Merseyside’s most wanted”.
He pleaded guilty to production of cannabis, abstracting electricity, assault by beating, wounding with intent, false imprisonment and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
Judge Mark Brown jailed Churchill, who had been living in Leasowe Road, Moreton, for a total of 17 years, saying: “It is very hard to imagine the horrendous ordeal she underwent.
“It is equally hard to appreciate the kind of consequences your conduct has had in relation to her.”
He added that the family next door where “very fortunate to escape with their lives.”
Judge Brown, said: “In setting fire to the house you were acting out of spite and maliciousness towards your wife.
“You can properly be described as a controlling, spiteful and violent bully,”
source:
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liv ... fe-8247004
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