VIOLENT EX WHO 'GUILT-TRIPPED' WOMAN INTO BUYING HIM GIFTS AND GIVING HIM MONEY 'INCAPABLE OF APPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP'
A man named Dylan Ashley Forbes, aged 23, has been convicted of subjected his former partner to repeated assaults, threats, and coercive control.The court heard that Forbes breached a restraining order multiple times, especially during the Christmas and New Year period, by turning up intoxicated and abusive at the victim’s house in Swansea, demanding money, checking her mobile phone, and guilt-tripping her into shopping and giving gifts.
On one occasion, Forbes assaulted his ex-partner by grabbing her by the hair, punching her in the face, throwing her to the ground, and kicking her in the stomach.
Another incident involved smashing a wine glass over her head.
He also called her insulting names and blamed her for the violence during the relationship.
Forbes admitted to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), three counts of common assault, eight breaches of a restraining order, and criminal damage by smashing his ex-girlfriend’s phone.
A victim impact statement described how the abuse had destroyed her self-confidence and caused her depression and panic attacks.
The court noted Forbes's previous convictions for inflicting bodily harm, battery, blackmail, grievous bodily harm, and disclosing sexual pictures of a former partner.
Prosecutor Tom Scapens outlined that Forbes was under an indefinite restraining order after assaulting his then-partner in 2016 but resumed abusive behavior in December 2018.
The judge, Peter Heywood, described Forbes's conduct as a “catalogue of assaults” and a pattern of “coercive and controlling behaviour.” The court sentenced Forbes to a total of 27 months in prison—21 months for the ABH conviction, plus a six-month sentence for breaching restraining orders, both to run consecutively.
An additional month was added for criminal damage.
The previously-occurring restraining order remains in force.
Andrew Evans, representing Forbes, stated that the defendant wants to change and become a responsible father to his daughter, acknowledging that a custodial sentence was inevitable and expressing his hope to seek help for his relationship, alcohol, anger, and jealousy issues after release.
The judge highlighted the repeated pattern of violence and control, and Forbes’s desire to reform was noted with a view to his future involvement with his child.
