A man "went nuts" as he walked home from a takeaway with his partner - throwing curry at a wall before launching into a "horrific" and "brutal" 40-minute attack, a court heard.
Michael Williams, of Hazel Walk in Cwmbran, strangled his then-girlfriend to the point she feared she would die. He dragged her by her hair, hit her with keys and knelt on her neck, leaving her with long-lasting injuries and fearful to leave the house.
The victim was in a seven-month relationship with the 40-year-old - who has no previous convictions - and she thought it was going well, Cardiff Crown Court heard on Monday. The grievous bodily harm (GBH) took place on February 5 after the couple had watched a rugby game at the victim's sister's home. During the match Williams drank five bottles of Desperados, four cans of Jack Daniel's cocktails and two shots of vodka.
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Prosecutor Jenny Yeo said: "At 8pm they began to walk to the victim's address and picked up curry on the way. During the journey his behaviour changed suddenly and he threw the curry against a wall. When she asked why, he grabbed her by the neck and applied so much pressure that she struggled to breathe."
Williams eventually stopped and they went into the home, but after the victim sat on a sofa he resumed his attack. "In her words, he went nuts," Ms Yeo told the court. "He dragged her by her hair, causing her to fall on the floor. He grabbed her by the throat and applied a lot of pressure. She felt like she was going to lose consciousness. She recalls saying to him: 'What the hell?' And that he was very angry, with gritted teeth.
"He hit her with keys seven to eight times. As she tried to defend herself her fingers were cut. He used his knee to apply pressure to her throat. She was frightened he was going to kill her."
The ordeal lasted 40 to 45 minutes. Eventually Williams left the home and the victim called police, who found her struggling to breathe and covered in bruises over her face and body. She attended The Grange University Hospital, where she was treated for a fractured bone near her throat. She continues to require treatment for the injuries to her neck and hands.
In a statement, the victim said the episode has left her plagued by nightmares and often unable to sleep. "I am always looking out of the window," she said. "If I hear an unexpected noise I jump and have panic attacks. I don't understand why he did it."
Even though she felt it was too early, she recently returned to work because she does not feel safe alone in the house, despite knowing Williams is in prison. "I only go to work and go home," she added. "My dad walks the dog for me because if I go out I feel dizzy and weird. I don't think I will bother with a relationship for a long time. It's not worth it.
"My home feels like a crime scene. I don't want to live here anymore. I was a bubbly person before. I am the opposite at the moment. I get upset easily and spend a lot of time in my head."
Williams pleaded guilty to GBH. His record was clean apart from a caution in 2001 for harassment, when he refused to accept the end of a relationship with a woman, monitored her friendships and entered her room uninvited.
The defendant's barrister Gareth Williams said: "Anything I say is not in any way to dilute the seriousness of this incident at all. I know the victim's mum is in the court today.
"[The victim] was good enough to say that nothing like this had happened before. In fact she said, 'We had a nice relationship.' This is maybe why it shocked her. It is an isolated incident by a good man.
"Maybe there was an element of falling out and he completely overreacted. There were elements of stresses in his life which made him overreact and not think about what he was doing. Yes there were things that annoyed him but ultimately there is no excuse at all for what then happened. He is sorry. It is not him."
The barrister said his client's references - including one from a friend at South Wales Police - showed him to be a "very kind, hardworking, good guy" and a "family man" who supports his loved ones. He has been in custody since February 17 which has been a "significant shock" and "quite traumatic" for him, his representative added.
Passing sentence Judge Shomon Khan described the GBH as "brutal" and "horrific". He said: "It's unclear why the incident happened... She was so frightened she thought she would die."
The judge added the offending was aggravated by Williams' drunkenness and how he "breached the trust" of the relationship. But he acknowledged the impact of prison on Williams and his family, his "genuine remorse" and not having previous convictions.
"Given all of that together, I believe there is a realistic prospect for rehabilitation", said Judge Khan. But he added that the "sustained" nature of the attack meant justice could only be brought with immediate custody, rather than a suspended sentence. He imposed a 16-month jail term, meaning Williams will serve another five months in prison before getting out on licence. You can read more court stories here.
