Jealous man placed knife in his partner’s mouth
AVULNERABLE woman was subjected to a terrifying fourhour ordeal of violence and abuse by her jealous partner, a court has heard.
Luke Davies repeatedly butted, slapped and throttled the woman, and at one point pulled her head back and placed a knife into her mouth and throat.
The 22-year-old threatened to kill the woman and members of her family, telling her: “Don’t think I won’t do it.”
Sophie Hill, prosecuting at Swansea Crown Court, said the incident took place in the early hours of June 11 after the defendant returned to west Wales from seeing his father in Cardiff.
She said he called at the woman’s home address and “insisted” he be let in. He checked all the rooms and cupboards because he believed there may be a man in the property. When he found nobody at the address he “lunged” at his partner, and began what the prosecutor called a “prolonged assault”.
The court heard that over the next four hours he repeatedly choked, slapped and butted his victim, and verbally abused her.
Miss Hill said Davies later dragged the woman into the kitchen, grabbed a 10-inch knife, and made a cutting motion across her neck – causing a small laceration – while telling her:
“Don’t think I wouldn’t do it.”
He then stood behind his victim, pulled her head back so she was looking up at the ceiling, and inserted the blade into her mouth.
The prosecutor said the victim could feel the knife in her throat, and was terrified of swallowing.
Davies took pictures of the injuries he had inflicted and sent them to his father.
Miss Hill said Davies stayed with the woman the following day, and she reported he was “doting” on her.
The next day police went to the victim’s house on an unrelated matter, and she told them about what had happened.
The victim suffered “multiple” bruises to her face and body in the attack, as well as the cut to her throat. The court heard she was suffering with flashbacks and panic attacks, and the incident had led to a deterioration in her mental health.
Davies, of London Road, Pembroke Dock, had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and to making threats to kill when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
Stuart John, for Davies, described the offending as an “extremely ugly and horrific incident” for which his client “feels genuine remorse”.
He said: “The defendant is grateful the physical injuries are ones that will heal, albeit acknowledging the psychological injuries are much greater.”
Recorder Nicholas Gareth Jones said he believed Davies had been
“very, very jealous” of what he thought may have been going on behind his back in the property when he launched the attack.
He sentenced Davies to 18 months for the ABH and 40 months for making threats to kill – the sentences will run concurrently. He was also made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting his ex-partner.
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