Jail for man who poured boiling water on woman

A man who poured boiling water on a woman and strangled her until she lost consciousness has been jailed.

Andrew Burgis, 45, of Beestons Way, Bury St Edmunds, pleaded guilty to numerous offences including controlling or coercive behaviour and intentional strangulation.

According to Suffolk Police, he would tell his victim she had imagined the strangulation. In her victim impact statement, she said "being scared became a normal thing".

Burgis, who appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday, was jailed for 16 years with a further four years on licence.

The court heard that during one incident, Burgis poured boiling water on to the victim's leg following an argument, causing severe burns and lasting scarring.

On another occasion, her face was injured after she was pushed into furniture.

He would frequently look through his victim's phone, accompany her to and from work to track her movements, and call and message her continually.

"I spent four years living my life how he thought was best for me, not how I would have done things," the woman said in her statement.

"Being scared became a normal thing. He took those years away from me through mental and physical abuse, which is why I am the way I am every day, and nothing can change that now."

Burgis had initially denied the charges but changed his plea on the second day of his trial.

He pleaded guilty to:

• Two counts of intentional strangulation
• Controlling or coercive behaviour
• Assault by beating
• Assault causing grievous bodily harm
• Assault causing actual bodily harm

Speaking after the case, PC Grace Hayden, who led the investigation, said it had been "deeply distressing".

"Burgis initially denied any wrongdoing before changing his plea," she said.

"This was another form of control over the victim – to prolong proceedings and force her to relive traumatic experiences.

"In her victim statement, she described fearing for her life, and I commend her for her strength in supporting the investigation, despite the trauma she experienced."

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