An abusive husbands made threats to kill his wife after she refused to buy him cannabis and threated to "f*** up" her family. She made 86 voice recordings of the abuse throughout the relationship, and described her partner as "Jekyll and Hyde".
Richard Parry, 44, of Wrexham, had been in a relationship with his victim for 20 years but the nature of their marriage changed following the birth of their child, and he became argumentative and aggressive. She began making recordings in 2017, the first of which the defendant can be heard threatening to "break her jaw".
A sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Tuesday heard Parry would look after their child for a couple of hours while the victim went to work, but he would expect her home straight away to take over. Prosecutor Emmalyne Downing would refer to her as "a c***, stupid, useless, a weirdo, unstable, fat, ugly and a bad mother".
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In 2019, the victim recorded Parry and told him her family had told her to leave him. He responded by saying he would "kill" her family for "putting things in her head". As the years progressed, the victim became more scared as the defendant's behaviour escalated.
In June 2020, he threatened to kill her for the first time and he would "f*** her and her family up" after she refused to buy him cannabis. At around this stage, the relationship came to an end but Parry continued to live in the house and the dining room was converted to his bedroom. During the Covid-19 lockdown, he spent more time at home and would smoke cannabis in the house.
On another occasion, he accused the victim of "using him to have a baby", that she was "sick in the head" and if she went to the police he would smash the windows of her car. In December 2021, he made another threat to kill her.
In February 2022, the victim told Parry she did not feel safe in his presence and wanted to call the police. He told her if she did he would "take her hostage and strangle her" as he would have "nothing to lose".
In March 2022, the defendant asked for money from the joint account for "a smoke". When she didn't answer, he became "irate" and started and swearing at her. He told her "Ring the police, see what happens. You'll end up in intensive care and your family won't recognise you. I'll only get 18 months and I'll come out and do it all again."
Parry, of Watery Road, was arrested in March last year and told police "I can't believe she has done this to me". He later pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour.
In a victim personal statement read out by Ms Downing, the victim said she felt like she had been in "a prison" and the defendant's behaviour left her feeling "exhausted". She said she found it difficult to leave the house and described Parry as being like "Jekyll and Hyde".
In mitigation, Elen Owen said all the conversation caught in the recordings were in Welsh, and "Going to kill you" is different to "Mynd i ladd chi". She said the defendant was "deeply ashamed" of his behaviour. At the time of the offence, he was suffering with a skin condition which had caused him pain and discomfort. The barrister said Parry had been addicted to cannabis but was now free of the drug.
Sentencing, Judge Timothy Petts said: "Your behaviour deteriorated considerably from the impact of cannabis on your mental health. You ended up behaving in an appalling way to your wife. You made threats to your wife, threats to members of her family, some were threats to kill."
Parry was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for 21 months. He was ordered to carry out 35 days of the building better relationships programme, a 20 day rehabilitation activity requirement, 150 hours unpaid work and an indefinite restraining order.
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