Shefford man jailed for strangling woman in Dunstable shopping centre

A man from Shefford has been jailed for strangling a woman during an assault in a Dunstable shopping centre last year.

Thomas Burden, 22, was sentenced on July 28 after he was found guilty of intentional strangulation and common assault.

On 11 October last year, he approached the victim near the Quadrant Shopping Centre in Dunstable. Burden became verbally aggressive and started calling her names. He hit the victim in the face several times, before strangling her for around one minute.

Burden, of Osborne Crescent, Shefford, received a sentence of two years for intentional strangulation, with an extended two years on licence. He was also handed six months for assault to run concurrently, along with a restraining order.

Last year, non-fatal strangulation was made a specific offence as part of the government’s Domestic Abuse Act. The practice usually involves a perpetrator strangling or intentionally affecting their victim’s ability to breathe in an attempt to control or intimidate them.

Before this, it has been more difficult to secure appropriate charges for offences involving strangulation as the level of injuries is not always visible. The force has charged 78 people with intentional strangulation since the legislation change.

Detective Chief Superintendent Zara Brown is the force’s new head of Crime and Public Protection Unit. She said: “Domestic abuse and violence in any form is unacceptable, and we are committed to bringing perpetrators to justice.“In Bedfordshire, we have a dedicated team, with specialist officers working alongside our partners, who will work with victims every step of the way. We remain dedicated to making our county a hostile place for perpetrators.

DCS Brown added: “We know that people are living with abuse and in fear and we want to help provide them with the confidence for people to walk away. Whether you are experiencing abuse yourself, or you are worried for someone you know, there is always help available.“If someone is making you feel unsafe in your own home, we can help. It is never too late to report or come forward.”