A Wrexham man who admitted “controlling and coercive” behaviour over his partner, the mother of his baby son, has been jailed.

William Maxwell Nicholas, 21, of Field View in Caia Park, checked her phone, tried to control her movements and who she saw and what she wore.

He repeatedly threatened her and was violent towards her.

It culminated in him shooting her in the leg with a gas-powered pellet gun, Mold Crown Court was told.

Nicholas admitted that in June and July he used controlling and coercive behaviour in a personal relationship and received a
15-month prison sentence.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said that he and Corral Rocks had been in a relationship since March of last year and at the start things were fine.

But matters took a downward turn after the birth of their son and he became controlling towards her.

“You sought to restrict her movements,” the judge told him. “You dictated the way she dressed and checked her mobile phone.”

He corrected her and used violence towards her on more than one occasion. 

Nicholas punched her and once throttled her. The defendant had smashed a photo frame over her head.

But she went to the police after he shot her in the leg with a pellet from a gas-powered gun having threatened her that she was going to die.

She was left with bruising and cuts and a wound to the leg.

Judge Rowlands described it as protracted bullying of a young woman.

He had repeated his behaviour on a number of occasions and she was left with injuries.

Prosecutor Simon Mills said the defendant had previous convictions and had a restraining order not to approach his mother.

Jamie Baxter, defending, said Nicholas appreciated the seriousness of what he’d done.

It was clear they were two immature young people and when a young child arrived it was a recipe for disaster.

Accusations of infidelity were discussed and the relationship deteriorated rapidly.

The defendant was tearful in his interview for the pre-sentence report and he was clearly remorseful for the way that he had treated her.

“He said he still loved her and hoped that she would not be affected by his behaviour,” said Mr Baxter.

The defendant was sorry and found it difficult while on remand because he had not been able to see his son.

He had served the equivalent of eight-month sentence on remand and Mr Baxter suggested a suspended sentence.