Former Army physical training instructor and football hooligan Liam Lewis has been sentenced for assaulting his partner, leaving her unconscious and threatening to make her disappear. The attack occurred on April 17 after Lewis took his partner's phone and checked her messages, according to prosecutor Ryan Bowen at Swansea Crown Court.
Attack Details
When Lewis saw a message from a male contact named Alex, he replied telling him to 'f*** off' before dragging his partner to the floor by her hair and striking her. The victim lost consciousness during the assault. Upon regaining consciousness, Lewis told her to be quiet and threatened to make her disappear, then accused her of antagonising him. The victim subsequently suffered a panic attack.
Reporting the Incident
The incident was not initially reported to police. However, two days later, the victim met her mother in the street and disclosed the assault. Her mother urged her to go to the police. On April 21, Lewis walked into a police station and was arrested. In his interview, he denied the allegations, describing the relationship as 'toxic'.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she had been too frightened to report the attack until she spoke to her mother. She suffered bruises to her arms, legs, and face, and continues to experience panic attacks and flashbacks.
Defendant's Background
Liam Scott Lewis, 36, of Haig Place, Gendros, Swansea, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He has five previous convictions for eight offences, including violent disorder from November 2010, for which he received a 52-week suspended prison sentence. That conviction stemmed from disorder following a Cardiff versus Swansea football match, during which missiles were thrown at police.
Defence barrister Harry Dickens noted that Lewis served seven years in the British Army and provided a reference from a staff sergeant. Dickens described the relationship as toxic and stated that Lewis now has a new partner and wishes to move on with his life. He argued there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and that Lewis could contribute positively to society given his prior service.
Sentencing
Judge Huw Rees told Lewis that by assaulting a woman, he had demeaned her as a woman and demeaned himself as a human being. The judge acknowledged Lewis's Army service as a physical training instructor and noted the previous violent disorder conviction, related to 'tribal difficulties between two city football teams', occurred when Lewis was younger. Satisfied there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, the judge sentenced Lewis to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, with a rehabilitation course and 120 hours of unpaid work. A three-year restraining order prohibits Lewis from contacting his ex-partner.
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.
