TREDEGAR MAN STRANGLED GIRLFRIEND AS SHE RAN A BATH
A MAN started strangling his girlfriend as she was running a bath after he became unhappy with her going out.Philip Paull, 56, attacked her in their Tredegar home during their “up and down” relationship.
The defendant started shouting at the woman after she had been out with her daughter-in-law, asking her: “Where the f*** have you been?” The woman told him that he knew where she had been and went upstairs to run a bath.
He followed her and grabbed her by her throat and she hit her head on the bathroom tiles.
The woman was struggling to breathe and she cut her knuckle during the incident.
The offences took place on September 7 last year, Cardiff Crown Court was told.
Paull, now of Waen Heulog, Nantyglo admitted strangulation and assault by beating.
It was said in mitigation that the defendant was a man of previous good character with no convictions recorded against him.
His barrister also asked that his client be given the appropriate credit for his guilty pleas.
Judge Richard Kember told Paull: “In her victim impact statement, she admits that she has not suffered any emotional distress but she says she found that the court process caused her sleepless night.
“She says she knows you are a good person and this was out of character.
“The victim says that she is not frightened of you and has not asked for a restraining order.” He added: “I accept that this was out of character and you have no previous convictions.
“You have been assessed as someone who does not present a risk of serious harm to the public and there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in your case.” The defendant was jailed for 10 months but the term was suspended for 18 months.
Paull will have to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.
He must pay a statutory victim surcharge.
