Crewe man jailed for domestic abuse

A man from Crewe who abused and controlled his former partner has been jailed.

Lee Dunning, of Wistaston Road, Crewe, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 20 September where he was sentenced to four years and six months in prison

The 40-year-old had earlier been found guilty of controlling & coercive behaviour, section 20 assault and section 47 assault at a trial in July 2024.

During the trial, the court heard how the victim was in a relationship with Dunning for around a year, during which time he gradually moved his belongings into her home, before moving in completely without any discussion.

Their relationship initially started well, he plied her with gifts, however after a few months Dunning’s alcoholism led to his ‘mask slipping’. He became physically and verbally abusive to the woman on a daily basis, slapping her across the face, pulling her hair and spitting in her face. He would also punch her arms and body to conceal any injuries.

Dunning also hurled continual verbal abuse at the victim, from calling her various derogatory names to threatening to desecrate the remains of her deceased mother.

As the relationship continued, Dunning systematically cut the victim off from her friends and family, turning her from an outspoken and well-loved individual, into a prisoner in her own home.

He controlled every element of the house, and of the victim’s life, demanding that she made food, before he threw it up the wall for perceived issues with it, and demanded she made it again. If the victim breathed too loudly, Dunning assaulted her for “huffing and puffing”. If the victim cried during an assault, he grew more frenzied.

On one occasion Dunning had broken multiple items around the house and thrown cider all over the floor. He then began to attack the victim, and when she tried to escape, he dragged her back by her hair, causing her to slip backwards with such violence that her Tibia and Fibula suffered complex fractures.

The attack resulted in the victim requiring emergency surgery to install a metal pin in her leg. Dunning also threatened to kill the victim if she disclosed how she sustained her injuries and, believing him, she remained silent.

His abuse continued when the victim was released from hospital, leaving her unwashed on the sofa without access to a toilet other than a commode. He continued to assault her and berate her, even moving her Zimmer frame away from her, stating it made him “angry”.

Dunning also took the victim to an isolated caravan and left her there alone, while he went off to drink with friends. He returned hours later in a fit of rage and subjected the victim to 24 hours of frenzied beatings, repeatedly kicking, punching, and strangling the woman.

The victim told the court that he only stopped to ‘catch his breath’, stating that he was ‘frothing at the mouth during the attack, which left her covered in bruises and fearing for her life, trapped in the middle of nowhere.

The victim finally stood up to Dunning in September 2021 when, after regaining her mobility, she ejected him from her home. However, it was not until December 2023 that she finally found the strength to report the matters to police.

Following the reports, a manhunt was launched and he was finally located, arrested, and charged on Friday 26 January 2024.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Kieran Marsh, of Crewe CID, said:

“Firstly, I would like to praise the victim for having the courage to speak out, as well as the bravery that she has shown throughout the investigation.

“Just to get through each day in the relationship she endured is an incredible act of bravery and defiance, but to re-live that experience by speaking to the police, and telling her story in an open court, is nothing short of heroic.

“I want to thank her for making it possible for us to bring Lee Dunning to justice, and for helping to protect other women he may have gone on to hurt. It has been an honour to work with her and with the brave witnesses who supported her in court.

“Dunning, on the other hand, is nothing more than a coward, who will now face the consequences of his actions.

“Despite the life-changing physical and psychological injuries he inflicted, his sentence represents the complainant moving on, whilst he remains incarcerated with his record permanently marked.

“As this case demonstrates, for anyone suffering through domestic violence, there is always hope, and the police will always take your experience seriously and ensure you are heard.”

If you, or someone you know, are a victim of domestic abuse please report it by calling 101 or visiting: 

www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us

In an emergency always call 999.

Pictured - Lee Dunning, of Wistaston Road in Crewe.