A cancer survivor who was stamped to death in a Wisbech flat by her “happy drunk” controlling partner was isolated and had “nowhere to turn to”, a report has revealed.

Wisbech Standard: Kestutis Bauzys, of Orange Grove, Wisbech, was jailed for at least 17 years for the murder of Dzilva Butiene at Cambridge Crown Court in October 2017. Picture: CAMBS POLICEKestutis Bauzys, of Orange Grove, Wisbech, was jailed for at least 17 years for the murder of Dzilva Butiene at Cambridge Crown Court in October 2017. Picture: CAMBS POLICE (Image: Archant)

Mother-of-two Dzilva Butiene, 48, was murdered by Kestutis Bauzys in Debenham Court, Orange Grove, in April 2017.

Bauzys, 46, was sentenced to serve a minimum of 17-and-a-half years in prison at Cambridge Crown Court last October.

The court heard that Ms Butiene had more than 60 bruises and marks on her chest and abdomen when her body was discovered.

In a Domestic Homocide Review comissioned by the Fenland Community Safety Partnership (FCSP), it explains how Ms Butiene had become “reliant on her perpetrator” and was easily exploited by him due to his.

Bauzys, who was described as a “heavy drinker” had brought Ms Butiene to England from Lithuania in 2013 “in the hope and promise of a new life”.

While living in Wisbech she was diagnosed with cervical cancer - which she was in remission from - but also suffered anxiety, depression, struggled with alcoholism and was unable to find consistent work.

The report states: “She was very isolated for a number of reasons and this may have caused a reliance on the perpetrator which was easy for him to exploit.

“Understanding what she faced is almost unknown as she seems to have been a ‘closed book’. It is difficult to imagine how her life must have been, given that she seems to have had nowhere to turn to, or been aware of how she could have sought support.”

Although the report is anonymised, it is believed to have been related to Ms Butiene’s death.

When Ms Butiene was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn in November 2016 she told staff she was depressed.

Bauzys also told staff he injected her with magnesium sulphate.

The report said that if Ms Butiene had been “minded to discuss an abusive relationship - this is the type of situation which should be identified as an opportunity and maximised.”

The report also states that it is likely that there will be others in a very similar position” and there will be lessons learned within the Lithuanian community were there is a “distrust of authorities and much of this is a cultural issue”.

The review concluded seven recommendations, including working with professionals and agencies across Fenland “using this case to highlight the effect of alcohol and controlling and coercive behaviour”.

Local housing associations and providers should seek to gain domestic abuse accreditation along with migrant outreach workers.

The report adds: “The FCSP should look at ways to gain voluntary support from within the migrant community in supporting initiatives for tackling domestic abuse to assist in creating opportunities for intervention.”