MARK GREEN

A man with a prior manslaughter conviction in Ireland was convicted of violently attacking his ex-wife on Christmas Day in Swansea.

During the assault, he strangled her until she could scarcely breathe, in a case brought before Swansea Crown Court.

Green, 38, with no fixed address, was invited by his former partner to stay at her home in Penlan during the holiday, as she felt compassion for him due to his lack of accommodation.

However, this act of kindness was met with a terrifying and sustained assault fueled by cocaine and cannabis.

According to the prosecution, Ryan Bowen, Green left the home on Christmas Day to purchase cocaine, then returned and consumed the drug along with cannabis.

His condition became unstable and aggressive, leading his ex-partner to help him to bed.

Later, Green assaulted her again, pushing her against furniture, then returning later that night for a more severe attack.

He pushed her to the ground, then wrapped his hands around her neck and choked her, repeatedly shouting: "Come on!

Let’s see what you’re made of!".

During the assault, Green bit her on the nose, cheek, and ring finger.

His victim managed to break free and fled to a neighbor’s house, but Green followed her and threatened to return if she contacted the police, before returning to the house.

The court also learned that this violent incident was not isolated; a month prior, Green, intoxicated, had thrown his ex-partner to the ground, bitten her, and pushed her over a baby gate during an altercation about keys.

Police arrived shortly after midnight, arresting Green in the kitchen.

In detention, he claimed to be the victim of abuse.

The woman later found that he had damaged her DJ equipment and mobile phone.

In her statement, the victim described how she believed she was going to die when Green strangled her, feeling she was "fighting to stay alive".

Green, originally from Dublin, had been convicted of strangulation, battery, and assaults causing actual bodily harm at a magistrates’ court, pleading guilty to criminal damage.

Although he had no UK convictions, he was previously sentenced to eight years for manslaughter in Ireland in 2009.

His defense attorney highlighted his 12 years living in the UK without prior convictions, suffering from PTSD and substance abuse issues, with family arrangements for rehab after release.

Several character references were provided, including one from a former Garda officer who described him as an "intrinsically good man".

The tribunal judged that Green’s ex-partner had invited him into her home for Christmas out of kindness, which he repaid through violence.

He was sentenced to three years in prison, with the possibility of release after serving half his sentence on license, to serve the remainder in the community.