Man jailed after running over ex with car after row

A THUG ran over his ex partner with a car during an argument in which he called her a “s***” and a “dull c***”. He drove off after injuring her and was caught on CCTV changing his clothes by a skip.

Lewis Watkins, 26, of Ebbw Vale, also trashed the victim’s mother’s car by using a brick to smash her wing mirrors. The defendant and his ex partner had been in a relationship for around three years and had rekindled their romance months before the assault.

The victim described her relationship with Watkins as “wild” due to their heated arguments and partying. He was described as becoming moody before progressing to “acts of violence”.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard the victim was at her mother’s house in Ebbw Vale on May 18 last year when the defendant pulled up outside in her car. He revved the engine and drove at speed up and down the street.

Prosecutor William Bebb said Watkins got out of the car and began shouting at the victim, who had left the house.

Watkins then picked up a brick which had been thrown by the victim, and smashed his victim’s mother’s wing mirrors on her car. Getting back into the car, the defendant reversed down the street as the victim stood on the curb.

Mr Bebb said: “(Watkins) mounted the curb and reversed back up the street. (The victim) travelled towards the direction of the vehicle and the defendant proceeded to move forward in his vehicle and struck (the victim) with the vehicle. She went up onto the bonnet and fell on to the chest onto the car, landing on her feet.”

As a result of the collision, the victim suffered bruises to her breasts and chests, her right elbow was bruised and swollen and her right ankle was swollen and painful. Watkins drove off and the police were called.

He was seen abandoning the car in a nearby field and was seen on CCTV changing his clothes near a skip. The defendant was arrested later the same day and when police searched his home they found small amount of cannabis.

Watkins, of Church View, Beaufort, pleaded guilty to assault occasional actual bodily harm, dangerous driving, criminal damage and possession of cannabis. The court heard he had a number of previous convictions including assault and emergency worker and battery. He was also in breach of a suspended sentence for possessing a taser and production of class B drugs.

Watkins was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 17 months imprisonment.