Joseph Mcenaney
Controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate/family relationship *
Sentence
2 years and 3 months imprisonment
Joseph McEnaney, 31, of Carey Close, Ely, began abusing his wife in February 2025, three months after they married. He forced her to choose between him and her children from a previous relationship, and threatened to kill her and the children. In March, he punched her in the face and hit her head against the car door after accusing her of infidelity, then later woke her, picked her up by the throat, threw her to the floor, and punched and kicked her in the head. Days later, he bit her lip, threw her onto the bed, punched her, and pinned her down by the neck, restricting her breathing. In June, he grabbed her by the throat, pushed her against a door, and prodded a knife around her head, dragging it down her face and making a small cut. He also ridiculed her about her weight in front of others at a gym. The victim fled their home and reached a safe place later in June.
Pleaded guilty to engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate/family relationship, two counts of intentional strangulation, and three counts of actual bodily harm (ABH). One count of intentional strangulation ordered to lie on file. Detective Emily South described the case as shocking coercive control and violence, commending the victim's bravery.