Man jailed after attack on girlfriend
AN ABUSIVE boyfriend told his partner he was going to “chop her head off” before repeatedly strangling her.
Callum Watts, 23, assaulted his then girlfriend Amy Thomas at her home in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, between February 15 and 16 in a rage fuelled by jealousy.
Having returned to the flat with a takeaway meal, Watts began behaving erratically and appeared to be under the influence of drink and drugs before unleashing a tirade of abuse at Ms Thomas and later strangling her three times, which left the victim tasting blood in her mouth.
The attack was so serious, Watts’ exgirlfriend thought she was going to die.
In anticipation that Ms Thomas was going to contact the police, the defendant again threatened her and said: “If you get me locked up, don’t think that’s it. In six months I’ll come out and I’ll chop your head off”.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Monday heard Watts began insulting the victim and called her an “evil b****”, he had “thrown his life away” for her and she “didn’t love him”.
Having become concerned about the defendant’s behaviour, she went to her bedroom but he followed her and fell into a rage when she refused him permission to smoke.
Prosecutor Nick Gedge said Watts asked Ms Thomas “What are you looking at” and made the sinister threat “I’ll chop your head off”. He also threatened to chop her ex-partner’s head off but when she laughed, he responded “This isn’t a joke”.
Mr Gedge added: “Mr Watts began to strangle Amy Thomas with his left hand for 15 seconds before easing off and strangling her for a further 10 seconds. She was in pain and feared for her life. She did not lose consciousness but felt dizzy and could taste blood in her mouth.
“As she was being strangled, she described the defendant looking into her eyes. He stopped and she was shaking and crying. The defendant said ‘I told you I am not a d*** head, I will kill you’.”
The victim texted a friend and asked her to call the police as she tried to leave the house but the defendant asked her to drive him to Cardiff or Pontypridd, having realised the police were likely to turn up. Ms Thomas drove around briefly before returning to her address where the police were in attendance.
Watts, of no fixed abode, later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The court heard he had a number of previous convictions and had been given a suspended prison sentence days before attacking Ms Thomas, after being convicted of an assault on a former partner.
In mitigation, William Bebb said Watts realised he would be receiving a lengthy prison sentence and had spent the last eight months on remand in custody.
Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: “You behaviour was extremely erratic and frightening. You began insulting and threatening (Ms Thomas) and then tried to strangle her by putting your hands around her throat and squeezing. She was very frightened and became dizzy. She could taste blood in her mouth.”
Watts was sentenced to a total of 20 months’ imprisonment.