A violent bully held a knife to his partner's throat and strangled her until she thought she was "going to die". He would tell her to stop shouting and crying after assaulting her, telling her their baby would be taken into care, a court heard.
Louie Wainwright, 24, of Newport, physically, emotionally, and verbally abused his girlfriend during their relationship which began in 2021. The violence began in September 2021 when he slapped her in the face during a "play fight" but blamed it on medication he was taken for depression and anxiety.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard the victim described the defendant as "an angry person". She said: "He always used to shout at me, verbally abusing me, and would call me a slag, a bitch, and a c***. He would say: 'Your mother doesn't love you and that's why you have been kicked out.'"
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The victim became pregnant but Wainwright would continue to shout at her and spat at her on two occasions. She would record the defendant on her phone without him knowing and took pictures of her injuries. In May 2022 Wainwright grabbed the victim by her upper arms then dragged her to the bedroom and threw her on the bed. He called her abusive names and slapped her all over her body.
Prosecutor Tim Evans said there was a knock at the door from police after a neighbour had called them. Upon returning upstairs Wainwright said to the victim: "Don't say anything or the baby will get taken away.... You need to stop screaming or it will be the last time you see the baby again." The next day he apologised and said it "would never happen again".
On November 6 last year Wainwright accused his partner of texting other men but she was messaging her mother and looking on social media. He shouted: "Show me the phone. You're texting someone. I know you're texting boys." He pushed her to the chest which caused her to fall on the floor and injure her finger. He screamed at her to leave but refused to let her have the baby.
The victim "wandered the streets" for 20 minutes before returning to the house to take her child to her mother's home. He texted her calling a "bad mother" and when she entered the house he said: "Show me your phone. You're not leaving."
Mr Evans said: "He picked up a large knife. He walked towards her pointing his hand with the knife towards her and placed it on the kitchen table and grabbed her and pushed her to the floor. He sat on top of her using his legs to hold her arms down and tried to grab her phone. He took the kitchen knife and held it against the front of her throat.
"She could feel the knife and feel it was sharp. It was pressing onto her skin and she was petrified and genuinely believed she was going to die. She could hear him shouting and all she could think of was her young son sitting on a chair. He pushed the knife into her hand and shouted at her: 'This has your DNA on it now' and placed the knife to his chest'."
The court heard Wainwright put down the knife and kicked the victim as hard as he could to her left thigh. After doing this he apologised, blamed his actions on his mental health, and cut himself. The victim took her son into a bedroom and left the next day with the defendant accusing her of "breaking up the family".
She returned to the home days later due to Wainwright's "relentless messages" but an argument began and he pushed her again, took hold of her arms, and slapped her to the face before grabbing her neck with both of his hands. Mr Evans said: "He was strangling her and she couldn't breathe. Her vision was blurred, she was light-headed, and he put pressure on her neck as hard as he could.
"She told him to stop but she estimated it lasted for a minute and she thought: 'I am going to die here if he keeps strangling me'. He dragged her by her ankles to the end of the bed and slapped her on the arms and punched her to the right leg." The attack left the victim crying hysterically but he told her to "shut up". She went to stand up but he grabbed her again by the neck and she fell to her knees.
Wainwright, of Monnow Way, let the victim go to see to their son who was crying. He told her she wasn't allowed to leave until her injuries were "healed" and forced her to wear make-up to hide her injuries. The victim later contacted the police and the defendant was arrested. He later pleaded guilty to controlling/coercive behaviour, threatening a person with a blade, intentional strangulation, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
In mitigation Stephen Thomas said his client's victim had written a record to the court in support of Wainwright, "bears him no malice", and she did not seek a restraining order as she has been corresponding with him while he is in prison. The defence barrister said the defendant accepted he was violent an abusive towards the victim and wanted to apologise to her and her family for what he had done.
Sentencing, Recorder Barry Clarke said: "Your controlling and coercive behaviour has been significant and persistent. You behaviour was physically violent and extended to threats to remove your son. You put a knife to her throat and led her to fear for her life... You made her feel worthless, unable to trust people, and shattered her self-confidence."
Wainwright was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment. He will serve half the sentence in custody before being released on licence.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse visit the Live Fear Free website or call the helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
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