Taxi driver strangles wife as she is on Zoom call to brother
A taxi driver strangled his wife after hearing her discuss the possibility of divorce on a video call with her brother. As he pulled a towel tight around her neck, Dony Varghese gloated: "Look what I can do to your sister."
Varghese, who had been married to the mother of his two children for a decade, strangled her twice in two days. The 37-year-old from Treforest carried out the first attack on May 13 in a shop after becoming mired in jealousy because he did not like his wife having friends, Newport Crown Court heard.
The judge, Recorder Dyfed Llion Thomas, told Varghese: "While visiting a shop you started arguing because she had spoken to her flatmates the day before. You grabbed her by the throat with your right hand in a grip strong enough stop her breathing. You held it there for approximately 30 seconds before releasing your grip. You then walked off and returned home, before arguing with her further.
"The following day she woke up and rang family members, seeking advice on divorce. She had had enough of what you did the previous day and the arguments you'd been having. She was discussing her concerns over your threats."
The court heard that in the Zoom video call, Varghese could be seen approaching his wife from behind and pulling a towel around her neck. "It was tight enough to stop her breathing for 40 to 50 seconds," said the judge. "She genuinely believed you were going to kill her. She started to feel dizzy.
"While assaulting her you were saying to her brother: 'Look what I can do to your sister.' You sat on top of her and slapped her face, shouting as you hit her with each slap... That clip was, quite frankly, chilling."
The victim also told police that Varghese had hit her with a bottle. She was eventually able to flee through the back of the property and hide outside while she sought help. Varghese was arrested and in his police interview he "in effect blamed his wife", the court heard. But after being shown the footage from the video call, he admitted two counts of intentional strangulation. Varghese, of Wood Road, had no previous convictions.
Recorder Thomas told him: "Your wife is now asking the court to be lenient with you. She has seemingly forgiven you, perhaps because of the children you have together, or through a misplaced sense of loyalty. No restraining order is called for. The court, of course, won't ignore the standpoint of your wife, but the court has a duty to the public to pass an appropriate sentence for these very serious offences.
"The pre-sentence report does not show you in a good light. You minimised your actions, gave the impression that you were the victim and that your wife would regret what she had done. The probation service found there was a high risk of you reoffending with domestic violence and a high risk of harm to your partner. The court is very concerned by the contents of that report."
The judge said he took into account Varghese's claim to have turned to religion and to have made progress in his "attitudes". The defendant claimed he had gained a "better concept" of the respect he should have shown his wife. Recorder Thomas also noted Varghese's "good work ethic", which saw him take a business course before becoming a self-employed taxi driver. The judge imposed a jail term of 20 months.
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