An abusive husband has been spared an immediate prison sentence after threatening to kill his wife after their 13-year marriage broke down.
Kirill Dodukh, 40, of Rochester Street, Brighton, was given a 22-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and served with a five-year restraining order.
Alec Williams, prosecuting, told Hove Crown Court that the police had been called to a previous incident involving Dodukh although he wasn’t prosecuted.
Matters came to a head, Mr Williams said, in August last year when Dodukh called Natali Gigaari late one Thursday afternoon.
He called her a stupid bitch in Russian, their native language, and shouted at her down the phone.
Mr Williams said that he shouted: “If you keep acting like this, I am going to kill you.
“I will break your legs and your arms. I will put the phone in your mouth and make you swallow it.”
The barrister added: “It sounded to her as though the defendant may have been drinking.
“The conversation continued for about five minutes. The call was recorded. It was in Russian.
“The call was made in the presence of their son who speaks Russian and was able to understand what was said.”
He read a victim impact statement from Miss Gigaari, of Hereford Street, Brighton, who said: “I feel very unsafe because of the threats my husband made to me.
“I feel I have to be on guard and looking around all the time. I am experiencing overwhelming felings.
“I fear my own life and safety and I am concerned for my children’s wellbeing.
“I am now looking for housing in a completely different part of the city.
“We can no longer to our local park. This has taken away an enormous part of our life.”
Sarah Thorne, defending, said: “He is absolutely ashamed and mortified by the position that he put his wife and son in on that day. It is absolutely appalling and there is no excuse for it.
How about sending him back to Russia. I’m sure Putin could make use of him.
Starmer and Home Sec cannot spell deported only suspended.