A MAN who "throttled" and punched his partner then scratched his own face to make himself look like the victim, a court heard.

Geraint Williams, of Llys Clark in Abermorddu, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday for sentence.

The 47-year-old had previously been convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and criminal damage.

The victim in respect of all three offences was his then partner, Nicola Lovell.

Jemma Gordon, prosecuting, said they had been together for around three years and had moved in together in February 2021.

But around nine months later, the relationship began to break down and on Boxing day last year they got into an argument in the bedroom.

Williams, who had been drinking, slapped her to the face.

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Ms Lovell ran downstairs and sat on the sofa, but Williams came down and pulled her to the floor before kicking her in the stomach and punching her in the face.

He also pulled her along the floor by her legs and told her to get out.

She remained downstairs that night and continued the relationship, with Williams telling her the assault had been "her fault."

On February 22 this year, Ms Lovell told the defendant she wished to end the relationship, which "angered him."

The Leader: Mold Crown CourtMold Crown Court (Image: Staff)

An argument followed but there was no physical violence until the next day, when they were arguing about the practical arrangements about ending the relationship.

He told her she'd be "sorry for crossing" him, then took her phone and started banging it on the bedside cabinet.

When she tried to get it back, he wrapped his arms around her in a "bear hug" and got on top of her, squeezing her neck with both hands for around a minute.

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The court heard she couldn't breathe and began to feel dizzy, but he let her go and punched her in the face.

The police were called, but before they arrived the victim saw Williams scratching at his face.

He said he was doing that so he could claim she'd done it.

An X-ray confirmed her cheek and jaw were badly bruised and her phone - which she said cost £900 - was broken in the incident.

Robin Boag, defending, said his client had never been in any form of trouble at all and the behaviour was "out of character, perhaps as a result of the relationship breaking down."

Mr Boag continued: "He accepts at the time, he was consuming too much alcohol - since this incident, he's certainly curtailed that and what comes through from the pre-sentence report is genuine remorse."

Judge Rhys Rowlands told the defendant: "You deliberately broke her mobile phone and placed your hands around her neck - throttling or strangling her at one point.

"When she went to phone the police, you scratched your own face in a cynical attempt to justify what you'd just done [and] to portray yourself as the victim."

Judge Rowlands opted to reflect the defendant's overall culpability on the assault occasioning actual bodily harm, imposing no separate penalty on the other two charges.

The Judge handed down a 30 week custodial sentence, but suspended it for 18 months.

The defendant must undertake a programme requirement, 30 days of rehabilitation activity, as well as paying a £600 fine, £400 costs and £1,000 in compensation to the victim; half of which was a contribution towards a replacement phone and the rest for the physical injuries inflicted.

A victim surcharge of £156 was also imposed.

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