CAT PUNCHED TO DEATH BY TEENAGER WHO STABBED HIS PARTNER IN THE LEG
An abusive boyfriend stabbed his partner in the leg with an eight-inch kitchen knife and killed her cat by repeatedly punching it.While under the influence of drugs he unleashed the attacks "out of nowhere".
Steven Cornish, 19, had been in a relationship with his partner which deteriorated when he began acting violently towards her.
In May the victim was asleep in bed at their home in Cardiff when she was awoken by the defendant who picked up her cat and began to attack the pet.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard Cornish slammed the cat against the floor and walls.
He then grabbed the cat by the tail and punched it repeatedly until it died.
The defendant then forced his partner to clean up the aftermath and pulled her hair while threatening her if she called the police.
In June Cornish was "incoherent" and began waving a kitchen knife around before stabbing the victim in the right leg above the knee.
Prosecutor Dan Jones said this appeared to "bring Cornish to his senses" and he apologised before helping the victim to the bathroom.
She suffered a one-inch laceration to her leg.
He told the victim: "I'm such a c***, you can't be with someone like me.
It just won't work." On July 10 and 11 Cornish began to hit the victim over the head with a TV remote "out of nowhere" and dragged her across the floor before spitting on her and pulling her hair.
He called her "worthless and angry".
On July 15, the defendant slapped and elbowed the victim in her face and caused her a black eye.
The final incident took place on July 16, when Cornish was again incoherent and assaulted the victim with a metal mop pole, hitting her to the head.
She suffered scram marks, bruising to her lower right calf, bruising to her right hand, a scratch to her back and a cut to the back of her head.
Police were called and attended the address, and they described the victim as "petrified".
Cornish, of May Street, Cathays, later pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, causing grievous bodily harm, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating.
The court heard the defendant has no previous convictions but has a caution for battery and shoplifting.
In mitigation, David Pinnell said his client has "developmental issues" as a result of his childhood and upbringing, and his use of cannabis was a factor in his offending.
Since his remand in custody, the defendant says he is drug free and he has sought to obtain employment in prison.
Judge Daniel Williams sentenced Cornish to a total of 15 months detention in a young offenders institute.
