Jordina Dowdells, a 25-year-old mother from Pontardawe, has bravely spoken out after her abusive partner, Adam Gates, was sentenced to 90 weeks in prison. Gates, 27, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, and criminal damage following a campaign of violence that left Dowdells with a fractured elbow and living in constant fear.
Relationship Started Promisingly
Dowdells and Gates reconnected in January 2023 after knowing each other from school. “At the start he was fine, I genuinely thought I could spend the rest of my life with him. He was really nice and caring,” Dowdells said. However, the relationship soured after she became pregnant, with Gates becoming increasingly angry and unsupportive.
Violence Escalates After Childbirth
Their daughter was born in April 2024. Dowdells recalled Gates refusing to help with childcare or housework, while he would go out drinking every Friday and return home to shout and belittle her. In December 2024, the abuse turned physical: Gates threw her to the floor during an argument, fracturing her elbow. “I was literally screaming in pain and I couldn’t move my arm even a centimetre,” she said.
Despite the injury, Dowdells struggled to leave, hoping to maintain a family unit for their daughter. “I wanted that family unit and I didn’t want my daughter to come from a broken home,” she explained. The abuse continued, including an incident where Gates pushed her off a bed, leaving bruises.
Final Incident Leads to Arrest
The relationship ended in October 2025 after Gates became aggressive when Dowdells refused to help him with a PlayStation game. He took their baby from her, mocked her, and threw her phone against a wall, breaking it. Dowdells fled to family and reported the abuse to police. Gates was arrested days later.
Sentencing and Victim Impact
At Swansea Crown Court on July 14, Gates was sentenced to 90 weeks in prison. The court heard that Gates had been impacted by his father’s death nine years earlier and had dealt with it in a “wholly inappropriate way.” Dowdells said she finally feels at peace but continues to suffer from nightmares and intrusive thoughts. “I’ve had so many dreams of him strangling me, shouting at me. It’s literally something I think of from the minute I wake up to the second I go to sleep at night,” she said.
She urged other victims to seek help: “Phone the police. I’ve always said that if I didn’t get out when I did, I probably would have ended up dead. If you have that gut feeling where you know you need to leave, then that’s the right thing to do.”
Support Available
The Live Fear Free Helpline offers free, confidential support for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 0808 801 08 00.
