A man described as a "bully" by a judge has been jailed for strangling his partner and threatening her with a 10-inch carving knife. Philip Pendry, 64, from Trevethin, Pontypool, admitted the offences and was sentenced at Newport Crown Court on Thursday.
Attack over a letter
Pendry strangled his partner in 2023 after an argument about a letter. He was struggling to read it, and when she picked it up, he became angry. He grabbed her by the throat and squeezed, pressing her against a wall and hitting her head on a radiator. She said she could not breathe.
Prosecutor Andrew Davies said Pendry hit her head against the wall repeatedly and told her: "Stay there, don't ever take anything from me." The victim could barely speak when she asked him to stop.
Knife threat at home
On May 12 last year, the victim saw Pendry at the John Fielding Wetherspoons pub in Cwmbran when he was supposed to be looking after their dogs. He shouted at her, and she left. When he returned home at 7pm, he was intoxicated and threw a lamp and a cup at her.
He then took a 10-inch carving knife from a block in the kitchen and waved it close to her face. Holding the knife five inches from her, he said: "Don't get your boys or the police on me, I'll just tell them I haven't done anything and knife them." He also accused her of sleeping with other men and told her she could go back to her ex-partner.
Escape and arrest
The victim escaped and ran to a neighbour's house, where she was shaking and crying. Police were called, and Pendry was arrested. He later pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, threatening a person with a bladed article, and assault by beating.
The court heard Pendry has 45 previous convictions, including sexual offences, drunk and disorderly behaviour, and threatening and abusive behaviour. In mitigation, Tom Roberts said his client had been in ill health and had recently undergone knee replacement surgery.
Sentence
Judge Daniel Williams said: "It's in your nature, you're a bully." Pendry was sentenced to a total of 40 months imprisonment.
