'Despicable' Peterborough fiancé beat partner, 18, and killed her hamster after Xbox row
A teenager who told his fiancée he would 'kill everything she loves' before slaughtering her pet hamster has been sentenced to 12 months in a young offenders' institution.
Max Roberts, 18, of Eastfield Road, Peterborough, tried to strangle his 18-year-old partner before kicking and beating her and smashing up her furniture.
The attack began at 1.30pm on 25 November last year when the victim was playing Xbox, with Roberts next to her on the bed.
He elbowed her in the face before grabbing her by the neck with both hands, gripping her so tightly it restricted her breathing.
The assault continued as Roberts punched and kicked his victim, leaving her covered in blood with a broken nose.
The court heard he killed one of her pet hamsters and kicked the cage of the other so violently it shattered.
He told the victim he was killing everything she loved, before leaving the property with a warning he would "be back to finish her off".
Roberts was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court after admitting intentional strangulation, criminal damage to property, failing to prevent the causing of unnecessary suffering to an animal and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
He was also issued with a restraining order not to contact the victim and not to visit any address where she may be staying or visiting.
Det Con Joshua Crown said: 'Roberts behaved despicably, aiming to inflict the most emotional pain possible by killing the victim's hamster.
'To show this level of violence at such a young age is concerning, but I hope Roberts will reflect on his actions during his sentence and never behave this way again.'
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