By . Paul Donnelley . Robert Arundel leaves court where he was ordered to pay his wife £9,000 compensation and was given a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by beating . Jealous husband Robert Arundel narrowly avoided jail after a court heard that he treated his wife like a slave. He plotted a campaign of physical and psychological abuse against wife Michele at their remote Lake District bungalow. Arundel, 43, of Kendal, was ordered to pay £9,000 compensation and was given a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by beating. He punched and insulted her, took her passport away, refused to allow her holidays, and forced her to work seven days a week unpaid. She also said he installed CCTV cameras to keep an eye on her. Arundel, who used to run Frydays fish and chip shop on New Road, would threaten his wife’s kittens with his dog. Lisa Hine, prosecuting, told South Lakeland Magistrates’ Court that Arundel threw a screwdriver at his wife before slapping her. CCTV footage of the attack was shown to the court, from a camera set up in the couple’s home – which Mrs Arundel copied onto her mobile phone as evidence. The court heard that one night when Arundel got home from work, he punched her about four times on the right thigh while watching TV. Chippy: Robert Arundel used to run this fish and chip shop in Kendal in the Lake District. He forced his wife Michele to week there seven days a week for no pay . However, Mrs Arundel took pictures on her phone after the assaults in August, September and October last year and kept a diary of the abuse on her iPad. But then she stopped as she did not think she would be believed. Miss Hine said on another occasion he ‘grabbed’ and bruised his wife’s finger after she raised it, thinking he was going to hit her. The court heard that Mrs Arundel, who approached police in December, now suffers from clinical depression. She described how she worked seven days a week in the chip shop for which she was not paid and received no holidays. She married Arundel in 2007 and claimed that the verbal abuse started straight away. In her victim statement, she said she believed she was being ‘monitored by CCTV cameras’ which made her feel like she was living in a prison. She was not allowed to speak to male customers, was not allowed money or a bank account of her own and had to take him a receipt if she bought anything. ‘I wasn’t allowed a passport which meant I didn’t exist, which was what he wanted,’ she wrote in her victim statement. ‘I had no means to escape. The remote Lake District cottage where Robert Arundel terrorised his wife Michele . ‘I was monitored by CCTV cameras, it was like living in a prison.’ Miss Hine said one night while the couple watched a film, Arundel turned to his wife and said: ‘I have a place to bury your body where no one will find you’. Mrs Arundel said that she left with a suitcase and moved to a refuge in Carlisle. ‘I’ve had to rebuild my life while Robert’s life has not changed,’ she said. In mitigation, Rachel Broughton said that Arundel accepted the three assaults to which he pleaded guilty. ‘This was a long standing relationship, they spent 24/7 together but had a level of accumulating debt which caused stress and fatigue for Mr Arundel, who took it out on his wife,’ she said. Arundel was no longer working as he had sold the business and was claiming benefits. Chairman of the Bench John Falvey said: ‘This was systematic, physical and psychological abuse. The only thing that has saved you from prison is your guilty plea. ‘Over the last five years you have not paid any money to your wife for her work. In my view you have treated her like a slave.’ Arundel was ordered to pay £3,000 compensation to the victim for each offence, £250 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge. He was also given a 120-day prison sentence suspended for 24 months, a restraining order and will be supervised by the Probation Service for 24 months. He must also complete a Building Better Relationships programme and an alcohol awareness course.
Robert Arundel of Lake District pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by beating .
Was ordered to pay wife Michele £9,000 compensation - £3,000 for each count .
Michele Arundel now suffering from clinical depression .
Arundel blamed his behaviour on stress caused by worries over debts .
By . Paul Donnelley . Robert Arundel leaves court where he was ordered to pay his wife £9,000 compensation and was given a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by beating . Jealous husband Robert Arundel narrowly avoided jail after a court heard that he treated his wife like a slave. He plotted a campaign of physical and psychological abuse against wife Michele at their remote Lake District bungalow. Arundel, 43, of Kendal, was ordered to pay £9,000 compensation and was given a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault by beating. He punched and insulted her, took her passport away, refused to allow her holidays, and forced her to work seven days a week unpaid. She also said he installed CCTV cameras to keep an eye on her. Arundel, who used to run Frydays fish and chip shop on New Road, would threaten his wife’s kittens with his dog. Lisa Hine, prosecuting, told South Lakeland Magistrates’ Court that Arundel threw a screwdriver at his wife before slapping her. CCTV footage of the attack was shown to the court, from a camera set up in the couple’s home – which Mrs Arundel copied onto her mobile phone as evidence. The court heard that one night when Arundel got home from work, he punched her about four times on the right thigh while watching TV. Chippy: Robert Arundel used to run this fish and chip shop in Kendal in the Lake District. He forced his wife Michele to week there seven days a week for no pay . However, Mrs Arundel took pictures on her phone after the assaults in August, September and October last year and kept a diary of the abuse on her iPad. But then she stopped as she did not think she would be believed. Miss Hine said on another occasion he ‘grabbed’ and bruised his wife’s finger after she raised it, thinking he was going to hit her. The court heard that Mrs Arundel, who approached police in December, now suffers from clinical depression. She described how she worked seven days a week in the chip shop for which she was not paid and received no holidays. She married Arundel in 2007 and claimed that the verbal abuse started straight away. In her victim statement, she said she believed she was being ‘monitored by CCTV cameras’ which made her feel like she was living in a prison. She was not allowed to speak to male customers, was not allowed money or a bank account of her own and had to take him a receipt if she bought anything. ‘I wasn’t allowed a passport which meant I didn’t exist, which was what he wanted,’ she wrote in her victim statement. ‘I had no means to escape. The remote Lake District cottage where Robert Arundel terrorised his wife Michele . ‘I was monitored by CCTV cameras, it was like living in a prison.’ Miss Hine said one night while the couple watched a film, Arundel turned to his wife and said: ‘I have a place to bury your body where no one will find you’. Mrs Arundel said that she left with a suitcase and moved to a refuge in Carlisle. ‘I’ve had to rebuild my life while Robert’s life has not changed,’ she said. In mitigation, Rachel Broughton said that Arundel accepted the three assaults to which he pleaded guilty. ‘This was a long standing relationship, they spent 24/7 together but had a level of accumulating debt which caused stress and fatigue for Mr Arundel, who took it out on his wife,’ she said. Arundel was no longer working as he had sold the business and was claiming benefits. Chairman of the Bench John Falvey said: ‘This was systematic, physical and psychological abuse. The only thing that has saved you from prison is your guilty plea. ‘Over the last five years you have not paid any money to your wife for her work. In my view you have treated her like a slave.’ Arundel was ordered to pay £3,000 compensation to the victim for each offence, £250 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge. He was also given a 120-day prison sentence suspended for 24 months, a restraining order and will be supervised by the Probation Service for 24 months. He must also complete a Building Better Relationships programme and an alcohol awareness course.
after he pleaded guilty to three counts of ordered to pay £9,000 compensation and was given three counts of assault by beating. He punched The remote Lake District cottage where Robert Arundel terrorised his wife Michele . ‘I was