A man who strangled his partner and kept her imprisoned in his home for five hours has been jailed. Ieuan Jones, 23, of Blue Lake Close, Ebbw Vale, pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, false imprisonment, and criminal damage.
Attack caught on video
The victim filmed Jones on her mobile phone after he attacked her. In the footage, she could be heard pleading: "Leave me alone, Ieuan leave me alone... Stop grabbing my fingers, you're hurting me." She added: "You just gripped me, you pushed me on the bed and grabbed me... Get out of my way... Let me leave, please let me leave."
On June 28, the couple had been drinking and returned to Jones' home. The victim said she was going home, but Jones grabbed her by the throat and pushed her onto the bed. She managed to escape and began recording.
Chokehold and imprisonment
Prosecutor Harry Baker said Jones blocked the door, placed her in a chokehold, and she struggled to breathe. When she broke free and ran downstairs, he grabbed her by the hair and covered her mouth to stop her from shouting for help.
Mr Baker said: "She thought she was going to die and kept trying to prevent him from assaulting her. She was scared and didn't know what he was going to do to her."
Jones took her mobile phone and keys, keeping her inside for five hours before allowing her to leave. He was later arrested.
Victim's impact
In a victim personal statement read to the court, the victim said she took emergency leave from work, felt drained and in physical pain, and hid her bruises out of embarrassment. She said: "I didn't like eating as I normally would and felt such a lot of guilt due to the anxiety and stress."
In mitigation, Julia Cox said her client has a qualification in electrical installation and design and runs his own business.
Sentence
Sentencing, Judge Eugene Egan said: "You bullied your female partner, you frightened her and made her feel insecure, unsafe and culminated in physical violence. Decent men don't behave like that to their female partners."
Jones was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment and made subject to a restraining order.
