A WREXHAM man has been branded as ‘a nasty piece of work and a bully’ by a judge after he was found guilty of stabbing his partner in the leg with a kitchen knife.

Nicky Edwards, of Bryn Lane, appeared at Mold Crown Court for a four-day trial which ended in him being handed a prison sentence of eight years for wounding his partner Tammy Marley with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm on March 12 of this year.

Edwards, 31, also had a restraining order imposed against him which will prevent him from contacting the victim or her family.

The jury heard first from the prosecution, Ms Elen Owen, who outlined the night in question which left Miss Marley with a major wound to her leg along with other injuries after a night in with friends turned into an episode of violent rage.

Ms Owen said the ‘sickening and violent behaviour’saw Edwards smash two picture frames over Miss Marley’s head, launch a vase that was handmade by Miss Marley’s young daughter and frantically stab the sofa before plunging the knife into his partner’s leg.

She told the court how Edwards told Miss Marley after the incident occurred that ‘he would not be getting blamed for this’.

Shortly after, Miss Marley ran outside to her neighbour’s home where the police and ambulance service were called. The prosecution told the jury how Edwards had locked the door and was found by officers in one of the upstairs bedrooms with his t-shirt covered in blood which later tested positively as Miss Marley’s.

The stabbing has left Miss Marley with a large permanent scar on her leg which Ms Owen said she has consciously began covering with long trousers since the incident.

The Leader:

Nicky Edwards. Image provided by North Wales Police

Ms Owen said that Miss Marley said Edwards was a ‘lovely man’ but changed when he started to drink.

It was also heard that the defendant – who was not supposed to be in contact with Miss Marley – had threatened to expose their ongoing relationship to social services which would jeopardise Miss Marley’s ability of being in contact with her own children.

When outlining Edwards’ defence, Duncan Bould, told the jury that Edwards should not be branded as instantly guilty because of his past history with violence – which includes offences of battery, affray and racially aggravated assault against a police officer – or be swayed by emotional language when making their decisions.

In passing sentence, Judge Rhys Rowlands said: “I have no doubt she [Miss Marley] is a vulnerable individual. Equally, I have no doubt you recognised as much and you sought to control her.

“I do not for one moment underplay the wound. It is a large gash and has left the victim with a disfigurement to her leg. It has had a profound effect on her. She still suffers pain from the wound.

“You really are - in drink - a nasty piece of work and a bully.”