A VICTIM of domestic violence hopes to encourage other victims to come forward after her former partner of 20 years assaulted her.

Sara Driffield was injured by her ex-partner Robert Turner, 52, on June 22, 2022, after he shoved her into the corner edge of a wall following a confrontation.

She had to borrow almost £5,000 from her children to obtain a non-molestation order from the courts to prohibit Turner from contacting her while police and court proceedings were ongoing.

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This was because her annual wage was deemed too high for legal aid despite the victim being unable to pay for legal support.

However, despite the financial struggles, Mrs Driffield pursued the case and Turner was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday (May 31) for one count each of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and breaching a non-molestation order.

Turner, Horton Drive, Middle Cheney, was handed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also made subject to a restraining order.

Now, Mrs Driffield wants to encourage other victims of domestic violence to report incidents as well as urging new financial support to be accessible.

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She said: “I didn’t have enough money as I earned too much to get legal aid so I did it all myself. I had to borrow that money.

“I was lucky I had someone to could borrow money from but it highlights that there are people in similar situations to me but don’t have access to that money.

“The abuser can just go back home and the cycle of abuse can continue. It just made me think that there should be something more for victims.

“It’s a lot of money just to protect yourself.”

She added: “I think there are a lot of people out there who suffer in silence. It’s good to talk about it and help people to see it’s worth it.

“This has been going on in my life for years and years and as a professional person you think it’s unacceptable to say you’re a victim of domestic violence.

“But it’s so common and it’s scary.”

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Sentencing Turner, Judge Maria Lamb said: “This was a relationship which for whatever reason was at an end and had been described as toxic.

“In a thoroughly unpleasant situation, you ended up in a physical confrontation with your former partner and shoved her and she made contact with the corner edge of the wall and she sustained very nasty injuries.”

Turner was also ordered to complete 27 rehabilitation activity days, 150 hours of unpaid work, and to pay £500 in court costs.