Ex left suicidal over abusive messages
A SPURNED boyfriend told his former partner to “hang herself” after leaving 40 messages over several days.
Bleddyn Harvey, 32, harassed his exgirlfriend after she broke off their relationship last October, and inundated her with abusive messages which resulted in her attempting to take her own life.
In one voicemail message, Harvey told his former partner “You childish fat c***, what have you done to my Facebook now, go and hang yourself you useless piece of s***”.
In another message, made after he found out the victim was out with friends, Harvey said: “O hi fatty, tell me where you are. I have got 40 minutes, I’ll come up there, bang them out and get back here in 40 minutes. Give me the postcode now.”
Prosecutor Lowri Patterson told a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court the defendant and his ex-girlfriend had been in an “on again, off again” relationship for two years.
Following the end of the relationship, Harvey would incessantly ring her and leave voicemail messages, the majority of which took place between December 11 and January 5. Between January 1 and 4, the victim received 44 missed calls and 40 voicemail messages from a withheld number but she recognised Harvey’s voice.
In a victim personal statement, she said the abuse she received from the defendant had caused her to attempt suicide on two occasions.
She said: “There’s a 10-year age gap between us and when I wanted to go out with friends, he wanted to sit in the house and smoke cannabis. He treated me like a maid rather than a partner.
“He made me anxious and I am frightened of him because he is possessive and controlling. I suffer from depression but Bleddyn makes it 10 times worse and I have attempted suicide twice because of him.”
Harvey, of Clos Pupren, Llanharry, pleaded guilty to harassment. He also admitted being in breach of an eightmonth suspended sentence for possession with intent to supply cannabis.
Defence barrister Abigail Jackson said her client “feels like a different person” to what he was at the start of the year and said he had suffered with his mental health following the end of his relationship which caused him to “selfmedicate” with drugs and alcohol.
Ms Jackson said Harvey was now in a new relationship.
Sentencing, Judge Tracey LloydClarke said: “You were very abusive and threatening and it’s particularly vindictive to say to someone with mental health problems that she should go and hang herself.”
Harvey was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment and was made subject to a restraining order preventing him from contacting his former partner.
For confidential support the Samaritans can be contacted for free around the clock 365 days a year on 116 123.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse visit the Live Fear Free website (gov.wales/ live-fear-free) or call the helpline on 0808 80 10 800.