George Fairminor sentence after trying to strangle partner

George Fairminor had punched and tried to strangle his then partner, who at one point climbed out of the bedroom window before he dragged her back in from the street.

He was before Truro Crown Court on Friday for sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH).

The court heard an emotional victim impact statement from the woman he assaulted, who said: “You were turning into a monster and that Friday night I didn’t know who you were. You were trying to kill me; I couldn’t breathe.

“I thought you were ripping chunks out of me.

“With every punch you killed a part of me that believes and trusts in people. I don’t trust people anymore. I don’t sleep anymore.

“I’m a shell of what I used to be, because you broke my heart and my spirit.

“You turned our relationship toxic. You destroyed my memories.

“You killed our hopes, dreams and you have lost any chance of having a life and a child with me.

“I cry at night, wondering why I was not good enough and why you have done everything to me you promised you wouldn’t.

“Why couldn’t I make you a better person?

“In what should have been my safe zone you made it a fight for survival and I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for taking that away from me.

“What woman deserves this?

“I will slowly become the strongest version of myself. I’ll heal, but I will never forget and I’ll never forgive you.”

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In January this year Fairminor, of Vounderour Lane, Penzance, had gone out for a meal with his partner and his son at Wetherspoons in Camborne, before buying alcohol from Aldi and going to other establishments in the town, meeting up with two friends.

The 39-year-old was reported to have drunk a whole 70cl bottle of whisky to himself, according to prosecutor Nick Lewin, when he “started to turn unpleasant.”

He accused one of the other men of having an affair with his partner; the man and another subsequently left.

It was then that Fairminor “kicked off” at his partner, trying to strangle her by holding one hand around her neck and making it hard for her to breathe, said Mr Lewin, who added that this all took place in front of his 17-year-old son.

The attack escalated into the bedroom, where Fairminor threw the woman onto the bed and continued to strangle her, using one hand to pin her to the bed and the other to cover her mouth and nose.

Mr Lewin said the woman managed to fight back, punching out at Fairminor and scratching him, “but that seems to have enraged him further and he started to punch her repeatedly to the head and face, which was witnessed by the son.”

He then left the bedroom, and the woman managed to climb out of the window, before Fairminor ran out into the street and dragged her back into the flat.

The woman decided to call the police in the morning but at 2am the fight continued when Fairminor then accused his own teenage son of having an affair with the woman, who borrowed a phone to call 999.

When arrested and interviewed by police he tried to claim his partner had been having “numerous affairs”. He also tried to claim he had been acting in self-defence as he was being attacked and had been bitten on the chin.

A medical report confirmed the injury, although the prosecutor reminded the court that the woman had at one stage fought back against Fairminor.

George Fairminor was sentenced at Truro Crown Court (Image: Devon and Cornwall Police)

Ramsay Quaife, speaking for Fairminor, said the 39-year-old had already served a “great deal of time” incarcerated since being remanded in custody following his arrest.

“This is a man who still needs a great deal of help and he simply will not get it in prison. He can only get it in the community,” he added.

He said Fairminor showed “genuine remorse”, adding: “This is a man who has used his time as best he can in prison, doing what he can on courses.”

Sentencing Fairminor, Recorder Mathew Turner referenced a suspected fracture to the woman’s ribs, adding: “This was strangulation and it was a prolonged and persistent attack.”

He went on to speak of Fairminor’s “lengthy list of convictions” that included previous violence, including ABH and GBH with intent. Record Turner sentenced Fairminor to two years and two months in prison, from which he will be released no later than halfway through the sentence to serve the remainder on licence in the community.

He also ordered a five-year restraining order for Fairminor not to contact his victim in any way or go to her address in Camborne, or any other address he knew or believed she might be living at.