A man with a "sadistic" side to his nature subjected his pregnant partner to a campaign of abuse including pouring a kettle of boiling water over her arm, a court has heard. Benjamin Price carried out the series of sickening assaults on the woman over a prolonged period, leaving her feeling exhausted and like a "shell" of the person she used to be.
Swansea Crown Court heard over the space of four months Price bit his partner on the face, slapped her, pushed her around, threatened to rape her, and scalded her arm with hot water. On occasions he also grabbed her in a bear hug from behind, took her to the floor and roared "like an animal" in her ear. During the abuse he would blame the woman for making him behave in the way he was, and tell her he loved her.
At the time the defendant carried out the assaults on his partner he was on bail and was being investigated for attacking a man in the street with an axe. Imposing an extended sentence on the 30-year-old defendant, a judge said Price had "one of the most uncontrollable tempers" he had ever come across during his time in the law, and that he had no doubt he posed an extreme risk of causing serious harm to people.
