VICTIM ‘JUMPED OUT OF MOVING CAR’
Woman ‘throttled’ by ex in terrifying ordeal
A TERRIFIED woman was forced to jump out of a moving car to escape the clutches of her former partner who throttled her by wrapping a cable charger around her neck.
Drugged-up Claudau Cuzma also punched her in the face and told her to perform a sex act on him.
The 30-year-old said he was going to kill her but the victim eventually was able to escape.
Now Cuzma has been jailed for 27 months at Stoke-on-trent Crown Court.
He was also made the subject of a restraining order which prevents him contacting his victim for 10 years.
Prosecutor Alison Whalley said the defendant and the woman had been in a relationship but separated 12 months before the incident. He re-established contact with her and they spent October 23 together as friends.
Miss Whalley said: “They drank, smoked cannabis and took cocaine. The defendant suggested he wanted the complainant to stay over but she refused.
“He said he did not want to take her home. She said she would walk. Eventually he agreed to take her home.” But she realised he was not taking her home and she tried to get out of the car while he was driving. Miss Whalley said: “She opened the door but he would speed the vehicle up. She continued to open the door to exit the vehicle.
“He grabbed her hair and held her head towards his legs before letting her go. He punched her in the face, grabbed her neck and held her head towards his lap. “He took hold of a charger cable and wrapped it around her neck preventing her from breathing. He told her he was going to kill her.
“She punched and kicked to try and get the defendant away from her. Eventually he slowed the vehicle down sufficiently for the complainant to be able to escape.”
The police were called. The victim was left with bruising to her face, hands and arms.
Cuzma, of Brenteligh Way, Hanley, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Seamran Sidhu, mitigating, said: “He accepts using his hands to strangle her rather than a cable charger. He accepts grabbing her as she made attempts to leave the moving vehicle.”
She added: “He regrets what happened. He feels ashamed. He is horrified his actions have impacted on her trust in men. His actions were out of character.”
Judge Sally Hancox said: “You took a positive action to strangle another person, leaving marks on her neck.
“When she left the car she was still moving. She had to knock on the door of a stranger to seek help. It is clear there has been a profound and lasting impact on your victim because of the assault.
“This was an appalling set of behaviours.
“It must have been utterly terrifying for your victim.”