Jail for man who beat up his pregnant girlfriend
A RECENTLY released prisoner dragged his girlfriend by the hair, punched her repeatedly and stamped on her after she told him she was pregnant.
Christopher Sayce was remanded in custody following the assault and wrote a series of letters in a bid to persuade the complainant and witnesses to withdraw their police statements.
Speaking at Cardiff Crown Court, prosecutor Nick Gedge said: “This is a case of a sustained assault upon a particularly vulnerable individual, not least because she was pregnant.”
The court heard a restraining order had been in place for some time, preventing the defendant from contacting Rhiannon Llewellyn, following earlier incidents including battery and criminal damage.
Prosecutors said Sayce was staying in Bridgend, having been released from prison, with a friend shared by the defendant and the complainant.
Mr Gedge told the court the assault happened on the morning of April 6 while Ms Llewellyn was visiting.
The court heard she had told Sayce she was pregnant with his child.
Prosecutors said she went to the kitchen to make herself some toast and he shouted: “Shut the f*** up, will you. I want you to go. You are just a hindrance.”
Ms Llewellyn left at about 7am, but went back 20 minutes later to collect her things.
The court heard the defendant shouted, punched her, grabbed her hair and caused her to hit her head on a table. She described him “stamping” on her several times.
Mr Gedge said the friend heard them arguing and tried to stand between them to stop the attack.
He described Sayce knocking his girlfriend to the floor, dragging her by her hair and punching her. He called the police.
The court heard police arrived and found Ms Llewellyn crying and short of breath, with reddening and swelling to her face. She was found to have a cut to her eyelid and described her sight as blurry.
Sayce was arrested that evening and told officers the complainant came to the house.
Prosecutors said he was remanded in custody and wrote eight letters aiming to persuade the complainant and witnesses to retract their statements, claiming it was all “a misunderstanding”.
Mr Gedge told the court the letters, sent between April 9 and May 1, were “attempts to derail these proceedings”.
The court heard Sayce had 29 offences on his record, including battery and criminal damage against Ms Llewellyn. Prosecutors said he kicked a door at her home in Bridgend in April 2017, smashing the glass.
On another occasion, he kicked her down the stairs and shouted: “Go on, ring the police, I’ll burn the house down.”
Mr Gedge said in November 2017 he banged on her door, grabbed her by the throat and threw her on a sofa.
Sayce was sentenced in January this year for kicking her television and shouting: “I’m going to f***ing smash this place up before I go.”
The court heard on that occasion, he poured a can of cider over her, grabbed her hair and threatened to knock her teeth out.
Sayce, 36, from Glendower Close in Brackla, Bridgend, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of breaching a restraining order and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Robert Chudleigh, defending, said his client is planning to move away from Bridgend and get a job when he is released.
Referring to the count of attempting to pervert the course of justice, he said: “He understands a deterrent sentence is likely to follow and the reason is to preserve the integrity of the justice system.”
Mr Chudleigh added: “There remorse. He is sorry for his actions.”
Judge David Wynn Morgan told the defendant: “I am not sure that you do not feel more sorry for yourself than you do for your victim.” is
Sayce was jailed for 32 months and the judge imposed a five-year restraining order.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, visit the Live Fear Free website or call the helpline on 0808 8010800.