Geneva man charged with unlawful restraint after detaining girlfriend

Editor's note: The charges against Guy Birch were dismissed after he successfully completed court supervision.

A Geneva man faces a charge of unlawful restraint after police said he restrained his girlfriend against her will on a sofa for more than two hours from late Saturday to early Sunday.

Guy R. Birch, 47, of the 600 block of Anderson Boulevard, was also charged with domestic battery which causes bodily harm, domestic battery with physical contact and interfering with reporting of domestic battery in addition to the felony count of unlawful restraint, according to police.

Birch was in an argument with the victim when he physically pinned her hands and arms to the sofa and ignored requests by the woman to be released. Police also said Birch struck her repeatedly in the mouth with the back of his hand, and repeatedly in the face with a throw pillow.

The woman had bruises on both of her arms and a swollen, bloody lip, police said.

The woman escaped when she convinced Birch to let her go to the bathroom, authorities said. She got her cellphone to call police but Birch took the phone, ran outside and threw it in the grass.

The woman called 911 from a land line shortly afterward and Birch left. He was later detained, but it's unclear where the arrest took place.

If found guilty of the most serious charge, Birch could spend up to three years in jail.

Birch has been released on $1,000 bond and is due in court Sept. 14.