A MILFORD Haven man has been reprimanded by a Crown Court judge for ‘demeaning’ his partner during a prolonged and persistent attack.
Warren Harper, 30, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Aug 30) via video link, after pleading guilty to a charge of assaulting his partner, causing actual bodily harm.
Dressed in a dark blue shirt, he listened as barrister Sian Cutter, prosecuting for the Crown, described the events on the night of July 3.
Harper had been drinking in Milford Haven with his partner, Demi Oliver.
At approximately 11.p.m an argument broke out between the pair. Ms Oliver left the scene and returned home. Harper was waiting for her when she arrived.
Sian Cutter said: “They immediately got into an argument and the defendant held his hand over her mouth, held her down and squeezed her to the face to the point where she was unable to breathe properly,”
“He then grabbed her by her arms and pulled her hair, resulting in some of it falling out.”
Ms Oliver managed to escape from the property and ran to a neighbour’s house for help.
She suffered bruising to both her eyes, bruising to her right arm, right leg and beneath her chin as a result of the assault. She also sustained scratches to her hands, a cut to her top lip, and large abrasions across her back.
Harper has three prior convictions for battery against two of his former partners, according to the Crown.
Jon Tarrant, representing Harper, said: “This particular relationship was going quite well, but what caused this incident was the alcohol which is his predominant problem.”
While addressing Harper, Judge Huw Rees told him that his behaviour towards women is unacceptable.
“You must understand that when you attack women in this way, as you have done on three separate occasions to two other partners, you demean them as women,” he said.
“You also demean yourself as a human being.”
Harper was sentenced to 20 months in custody, half of which will be spent in prison while the remainder will be spent on probation.
“This assault was on a vulnerable woman in the confines of her own home,” said Judge Huw Rees.
“If you don’t watch what you do in the future as far as assaulting women is concerned, your sentences will increase incrementally.
“And you’ll now have time to consider this during the sentence which I’ve decided to impose.”
