Peterborough teenager 'attempted to strangle' fiancee and killed her hamster
“To show this level of violence at such a young age is concerning”
A Peterborough teenager who told his fiancée he would “kill everything she loves” has been sentenced to 12 months in a young offender institution.
Max Roberts, 18, of Eastfield Road, Peterborough, attempted to strangle his partner before smashing up furniture and killing her pet hamster.
The attack began at 1.30pm on 25 November last year when the victim was playing Xbox, with Roberts next to her on the bed.
He elbowed her to the face before grabbing her by the neck with both hands, gripping her so tightly it restricted her breathing.
Believing Roberts was going to kill her, she ran into the kitchen where he pushed her to the floor and began punching and kicking her face and body.
Covered in blood, with a broken nose and bruising to her legs, the 18-year-old victim was forced to hand over her mobile phone and keys.
Roberts killed one of her hamsters and kicked the cage of the other one so violently it shattered. He told the victim he was killing everything she loved, before leaving the property.
Within 10 minutes Roberts returned and dragged her from her bed to the bathroom to clean her up and left again. Later in the day, he sent her a message claiming he would “be back to finish her off”.
“Roberts behaved despicably, aiming to inflict the most emotional pain possible by killing the victim’s hamster."
Roberts was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday (15 May) after admitting intentional strangulation, criminal damage to property, failing to prevent the causing of unnecessary suffering to an animal and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
He was also issued with a restraining order not to contact the victim and not to visit any address where she may be staying or visiting.
Detective Constable Joshua Crown said: “Roberts behaved despicably, aiming to inflict the most emotional pain possible by killing the victim’s hamster.
“To show this level of violence at such a young age is concerning, but I hope Roberts will reflect on his actions during his sentence and never behave this way again.”