POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
A police officer endured silence while her abusive husband assaulted and strangled her while she was holding their infant.She feared reporting the abuse to her employers might harm her career.
Nathan Phillips, aged 34 from Barry, had a seven-year relationship with the victim, during which they had a child.
Over time, the relationship worsened, marked by physical violence, verbal abuse, and threats.
During a hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, it was described as involving "controlling and coercive" behavior.
In 2017, Phillips threw a shoe at the victim’s head amid an argument, leaving a red mark on her face.
She asked him to leave, and he stayed with his father for several days before returning home.
Prosecutor Owen Williams stated Phillips would often become "angry and frustrated," damaging property such as making-up bags, kicking a bedroom door, smashing a shower screen which embedded glass in her foot, throwing a remote at a glass panel, breaking a coffee table leg, throwing her phone at a wall, and damaging her hair straighteners.
Despite his aggressive actions, he would apologize and the victim would forgive him.
On one occasion, Phillips pushed, pulled, and grabbed the victim by her pyjama top, ripping the neckline and leaving a scratch on her temple.
Tensions escalated with more frequent arguments, including an incident where he grabbed her by her top’s drawstrings and tightened them around her throat to restrict her breathing.
A friend witnessed this assault and attempted to intervene, but Phillips pushed her away.
Another incident involved Phillips pinning her on the floor using his thighs, forcing her to open her mouth and inserting his fingers until she gagged.
She responded by biting his fingers.
The victim eventually left the home.
When she returned, Phillips had blocked the door, but she called his father, who helped them gain entry, finding Phillips in bed.
He claimed to have taken medication, but the victim believed he did so to seek "attention and sympathy." At some point, the relationship seemed to improve, and their child was born in 2021.
However, four months later, Phillips strangled her during an argument while holding the baby, who started crying.
She called a neighbour, who took the child to safety, after which Phillips demanded, "Get our f****** baby back." The neighbours returned the child once Phillips left, and he then spent a few days at his mother’s house before returning home.
He also threw a partially consumed can of Fanta at her, which caused her pain.
The victim, upon discovering messages with sexual content sent to other women on Phillips’ phone, contacted police and filed a formal complaint.
On March 8, Phillips was arrested, denying violence and claiming she was attempting to prevent him from seeing their child.
He later pleaded guilty to intentionally strangling her and to controlling/coercive behavior.
The court noted he had two prior police warnings unrelated to this case.
Once outgoing and confident, the victim was raised in a family that valued respect for women.
She explained she still struggles to understand why Phillips abused her, feeling "trapped" and afraid to disappoint her family.
Since reporting, she has felt supported both in her police work and by her family.
She reflected on the abusive relationship, saying it made her realize how volatile it was, leading to feelings of shame for staying so long and hesitation to disclose the abuse due to her career.
She said, "My life has changed in so many ways.
Despite the stress of being a single mother and working full-time, I no longer have to endure Nathan’s physical and mental abuse." He was sentenced to three years in prison, serving half and then being released on license.
A six-year restraining order was also issued.
Judge Recorder Celia Hughes called his conduct "appalling and lengthy," highlighting that Phillips minimized his offenses and remains a danger to women with whom he enters relationships.
