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Police say a 70-year-old duke faces three non-fatal strangulation charges, a case that highlights how newer domestic abuse-related offences are prosecuted and handled in court.
Thames Valley Police say Charles James Spencer-Churchill, the 12th Duke of Marlborough, has been charged with three counts of non-fatal intentional strangulation linked to alleged incidents in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
Police said the alleged offences involve the same complainant and are dated between November 2022 and May 2024.
The force said he was arrested in May 2024 and summoned to appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where the case entered the court process and was publicly reported through UK news outlets.
The development matters because non-fatal strangulation is a distinct offence in England and Wales introduced after the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, aimed at addressing a form of violence that can cause serious injury without obvious external marks.
The offence is prosecuted beyond domestic settings as well, according to CPS guidance, and early hearings set the procedural path, including bail conditions and whether the case moves to a higher court.
The case also raises public-interest questions about equal treatment in the justice system regardless of status.
Police said the three counts relate to alleged incidents in Woodstock and cover a period from November 2022 to May 2024.
Thames Valley Police also said the allegations involve the same complainant and that Spencer-Churchill was arrested in May 2024.
Oxford Magistrates’ Court is the venue for the first stage of criminal proceedings, where defendants are formally brought before the court and case-management decisions are made.
A Reuters report on Thursday said the court hearing was adjourned.
Non-fatal strangulation is a standalone offence that came into force on 7 June 2022 in England and Wales and carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.
Thames Valley Police confirmed the charge, the number of counts, the alleged date range and the location, while withholding identifying details about the complainant.
That restraint is typical when criminal cases are active and personal information is protected.
No verified defence statement was included in the police announcement. Reporting on Thursday also noted the court hearing was adjourned, a procedural step that can occur at early stages and is recorded through standard court process.
Public reaction has centred on the seriousness of the allegations and the visibility of the defendant’s title, but commentary remains constrained by the ongoing case.
UK courts can treat active proceedings as sensitive, and publishers commonly avoid material that could risk contempt of court.
For the public, the charges are a clear example of how non-fatal strangulation is handled as a distinct offence rather than being folded into general assault allegations.
The change was intended to improve accountability for a type of violence that medical specialists and prosecutors have said can be dangerous even when injuries are not immediately visible.
For complainants, early court hearings can affect practical protections, including whether bail conditions restrict contact or travel.
Those conditions, if imposed, are set by the court based on the facts presented at hearings.
The offence is not limited to domestic abuse contexts, according to CPS guidance, but it has been widely discussed in connection with domestic abuse policy because of the risks involved.
Takeaway: The case illustrates how the law and courts can address strangulation allegations with specific charges and protective court measures.
CPS guidance describes strangulation and suffocation as offences that should be considered whenever there is evidence of that conduct, including cases that are not classed as domestic abuse.
The guidance also directs prosecutors to apply additional domestic abuse guidance where relevant.
Sentencing policy has also evolved.
The Sentencing Council published a guideline for strangulation and suffocation offences in 2024, and subsequent reporting and legal commentary have described the guideline taking effect from 1 January 2025, shaping how judges and magistrates approach seriousness and harm.
These frameworks do not decide guilt, but they do explain why the offence is treated separately and how courts may approach sentencing if there is a conviction.
Spencer-Churchill inherited the dukedom in 2014 after the death of his father, John Spencer-Churchill, the 11th Duke of Marlborough.
He was previously styled the Marquess of Blandford and has been publicly known as Jamie Blandford.
His family is associated with Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated in 1987, and the building was constructed in the early 18th century.
Public reporting has described the palace’s management as separate from the duke’s day-to-day control, including through an independent heritage foundation.
The case is now awaiting further scheduling after the initial hearing was adjourned on Thursday. At this stage, magistrates’ court proceedings normally deal with confirming the defendant’s identity, setting out the charges, and considering bail.
Magistrates will also decide whether the case should remain in the magistrates’ court or be sent to the Crown Court, depending on the seriousness of the allegations and the legal issues involved.
Any future hearing dates, bail conditions or reporting restrictions will be decided by the court and are typically published in official court listings or reported from subsequent hearings.
Until the case moves forward, information in the public domain is likely to remain limited to confirmed statements from the police, court records and factual reporting from the courtroom.
The case is significant because it shows how the offence of non-fatal strangulation, introduced in 2022, is being used in current prosecutions.
It also highlights how the criminal justice system applies the same procedures and legal tests regardless of a defendant’s background or public profile.
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