A man called his partner's mother a "c***" before punching her in the face and kicking her while she lay on the floor, a court heard.
Ben Horgan, 27, was rowing with his then girlfriend when her mother heard the disturbance and went downstairs to where the argument was taking place. As she entered the room, she saw Horgan had his hands on her daughter's shoulder. When she told him to take his hands off her daughter, he turned and called her a "c***". He then punched her twice in the face, causing her to fall to the floor. As she lay on the floor, Horgan kicked her.
Victim lost eyesight in one eye
Prosecution barrister Bethan Evans told Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Wednesday how the victim went to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with double vision and reduced vision. She later needed an operation for an injured eye and had an artificial lens inserted on her left eyeball.
In a victim impact statement, she said she has "pretty much lost her eyesight in one eye" and "finds it difficult to do day-to-day things" following the incident in March 2025.
Defence and sentence
In mitigation, defence barrister David Purnell told the court that Horgan, of Garden Suburbs, Pontywaun, Caerphilly, was "well regarded" among people who know him. He added that Horgan had an "addiction issue" at the time of the attack and has "done much since the incident to deal with these matters".
Recorder Gregory Bull KC sentenced Horgan to a 12 month prison term which will be suspended for a period of two years. He must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and complete a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement. Horgan must pay his victim £2,000 in compensation and pay a surcharge of £187. He has also been made the subject of a restraining order meaning he cannot contact the victim directly or indirectly for a period of 10 years.
