AN EMMERDALE script writer narrowly escaped jail after he suffocated his terrified girlfriend – and threatened to “chop her up”.
Vile Martin Fustes, 47, spat in her face and placed his hands over her mouth and nose to stop her breathing.
He also told her he wanted her to be hung from a tree and set alight, a court heard.
Fustes, who worked on the ITV soap for nearly 20 years, admitted ABH and intentional suffocation.
Soap bosses, who had no idea he was appearing in court, have now sacked him.
A spokeswoman for ITV said: “We were shocked and appalled to learn about the recent court case involving Emmerdale writer, Martin Fustes.
“Mr Fustes is a freelance writer and he has been informed that he will no longer be writing for Emmerdale.
“Everyone at ITV and Emmerdale abhors domestic abuse, which is why we have been highlighting the issue in a major storyline over the last 12 months.
“The Emmerdale production team were not aware of these charges against Mr Fustes until we were alerted over the weekend.”
Prosecutor Samantha Laws said Fustes snapped at the family home in Beverley, East Yorks., on January 27 after a row.
He began poking and prodding her in the face and upper body with his fingers, keys and a vape – before spitting in her face.
He then put both hands around her neck two or three times and wrapped a dressing gown hood around her neck to stop her from escaping the bedroom.
Miss Laws said: “He was repeatedly shoving and pushing her back to the bed.
“He placed his hands over her mouth and nose and stopped her ability to breathe.
“She could see stars.”
Fustes later grabbed her mobile phone, pulled her watch off her wrist, told her that he wanted to kill her and chop up her face.
Miss Laws said his victim finally escaped through the front door and ran towards the local police station – only to be persuaded to return home by Fustes.
At Hull Crown Court, the woman said the ordeal was the culmination of more than 10 years of abuse.
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
She now suffers flashbacks.
The woman added: “I thought I was going to die.
“I had no other option but to escape and run down the street.
“I now struggle to feel safe in my home.”
Connor Stuart, mitigating, described it as “a serious, but isolated incident” – adding: “He understands that it is over.
“This relationship is concluded.
“He has shown genuine remorse.
“This is the last time that he will trouble these courts.”
Fustes was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid work, 15 days’ rehabilitation and a 26-session probation service domestic abuse programme.
He was also ordered to pay £2,000 compensation and £150 costs and given a ten-year restraining order.
Former Emmerdale writer Martin Fustes was given a two-year suspended prison sentence[/caption]
