MAN SENTENCED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSAULT ON PARTNER IN MERTHYR TYDFIL
A man identified as Kirk Richards, aged 35, who resides on St Tydfils Avenue in Twynyrodyn, was involved in a violent assault against his former partner after a domestic dispute on April 20.During the incident, Richards pulled a large chunk of hair from his partner and forcibly dragged her to the floor by her hair.
He then placed his foot on her chest, pinning her down.
The situation escalated when Richards strangled her three times with his hands, each time causing her to almost lose consciousness.
The victim described feeling 'petrified' and expressed her fear that Richards might eventually kill her.
She recounted how she tried to defend herself by scratching his hands, hitting, kicking, and punching him, and ultimately managed to free herself from his grip.
Despite her efforts, Richards again grabbed her by the throat, squeezing until she experienced pins and needles and struggled to breathe, and then strangled her a third time, during which she apologized in a plea for him to stop.
Richards initially denied assaulting his partner, claiming she tore her hair herself, but later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation.
The court heard he has five previous convictions for offences including battery.
The victim, in a personal statement read by the prosecutor, conveyed her ongoing fear for her life and how the assault has profoundly affected her mental health, making her feel unable to trust anyone and constantly in fight-or-flight mode.
Hilary Roberts, representing Richards in mitigation, highlighted that he has a steady job, a 13-year-old son to support, and had spent three months on remand.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins condemned the act, stating: 'It is the ultimate act of a coward for a man to lay his hands on a woman.' Richards was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Additional penalties included a 60-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement, 150 hours of unpaid work, 26 sessions of a behavioral program, a 20-day rehabilitation activity, and a compensation of £2,000 to the victim.
