Jail for jealous thug who poured beer over woman before punching and biting her

A jealous thug who threw beer over his partner's head and then punched and bit her after she had been out for the evening has been locked up.

Gareth Vaughan Edwards broke the nose of Nerys Williams during the violent incident at her home in Bethesda late on June 28 this year.

Appearing from custody at Caernarfon Crown Court the 28-year-old, of Maes Coetmor, Bethesda, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Ms Williams who had been his partner for 10 years.

Jailing him for 21 months Judge Huw Rees said: "You were jealous she had gone out to Conwy with some other women. When she returned you were angry and shouted at her then humiliated her.

"In doing so you demeaned her as a human being."

Noting this was not the first time Edwards had assaulted Ms Williams the judge added there were other aggravating factors to the case including the use of alcohol.

The judge was concerned the initial police summary had claimed Ms Williams had also suffered a broken cheekbone. This was not the case and he asked for a senior officer to investigate how the error had occurred.

Defence counsel Simon Rogers, who accepted a jail term was inevitable, said: "This was a deeply unpleasant offence and the risk factor is alcohol. He must learn that alcohol makes him behave in this way."

The court heard Ms Williams had gone out for the evening with work colleagues and that Edwards was annoyed he had not been invited.

Ffion Tomos, prosecuting, said during the evening Edwards called Ms Williams a number of times but none of the calls were answered.

"He sent her a text telling her, in crude terms, to answer the phone," she added.

When she returned to Bethesda at about 11.30pm Edwards started shouting and swearing at her as soon as she entered the house.

Ms Tomos said he poured the contents of a beer bottle over her hair and then started punching her to the face.

"She felt scared and frightened and feared he was going to kill her," the barrister added.

After going upstairs to bed Edwards followed her and dragged her out by the ankles. He then bit her forearm and chest.

Ms Williams managed to get out of the house and hid in the garden when Edwards emerged. A relative, who happened to be passing, called 999 and Ms Williams was taken to hospital for treatment to lacerations and a broken nose.

Interviewed after he handed himself into police Edwards claimed he had acted only in self-defence.

In addition to the jail term, the judge made a Restraining Order in which Edwards must not contact Ms Williams or attend her address for 10 years.