In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Joshua McVey, then 26, of Millholme Avenue, Carlisle, Cumbria, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court for a violent and horrific attack on his partner. Joshua McVey, a serial domestic abuser with a history of vile behaviour towards women, subjected the victim to a prolonged ordeal during which he repeatedly punched her and squeezed her throat. The court heard that the sickening assault reached a peak when he strangled her for approximately 30 seconds, leaving her unable to breathe and in fear for her life.
The investigation by Cumbria Constabulary uncovered that Joshua McVey was already subject to a community order for previous violent offences against the same victim when this latest horrendous incident occurred. During the attack, McVey ignored the victim’s pleas for him to stop, demonstrating a deplorable lack of restraint and a “dangerous” pattern of escalating violence. The prosecution detailed how the vile abuse had a profound psychological impact on the victim, who had previously tried to support McVey despite his predatory tendencies.
Judge Michael Fanning described Joshua McVey as a man who “simply cannot control his temper” and noted his extensive history of domestic violence, which included 14 previous offences. The judge emphasised that the violent act of strangulation is a serious indicator of future lethality in domestic settings. Despite defence claims that McVey was remorseful, the judge ruled that his repeated vile conduct and failure to engage with previous rehabilitation efforts made a significant custodial sentence unavoidable.
As a result of his convictions for non-fatal strangulation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, Joshua McVey was sentenced on January 9, 2026, to 32 months in prison. He was also made subject to a ten-year restraining order to protect the victim from further violent encounters. McVey will be managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Cumbria Constabulary, remaining under intensive supervision following his eventual release. Any attempt to contact the victim or any presence in Carlisle in breach of his order will result in his immediate return to custody.
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