'Woman-beater' kneed ex-partner in the face after losing his temper

A judge has branded a man a "woman beater" and a "bully and a coward" after he launched a shocking attack on his former partner.

Matthew Morris squeezed the side of the woman's head with such force her earrings became embedded in her flesh before he kneed her in the face.

Swansea Crown Court heard the attack took place at the victim's home on the evening of Halloween last year.

Tom Scapens, prosecuting, said Morris and the woman had spoken on the phone earlier that day but the defendant had misunderstood something she had said during the conversation and went to her house in Townhill in temper.

Outside the victim's property the defendant pressed his head to the woman's head and began shouting that he hated her.

The court heard he then grabbed the sides of her head and began squeezing with such force the woman thought her earrings had been ripped out but in fact they had become embedded in her flesh. Morris then forced the woman's head downwards and kneed her in the face.

Mr Scapens said the woman's eight-year-old daughter came out of the house at this stage and began screaming at Morris and telling him to stop.

Morris swore at the girl and punched her mother in face, telling her: "Your mother is lucky she is not dead on the floor."

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The court heard he has a number of previous convictions for battery including one for attacking a man on a bus, one for assaulting a different partner, and one for assaulting the ex-girlfriend who was the victim of the Halloween attack.

David Singh, for Morris, invited the court to follow the recommendations of the probation report.

Judge Paul Thomas QC told the defendant: "You, Mr Morris, are a woman-beater which, in my book, makes you both a bully and a coward."

The judge said he had read "many impressive character references" submitted to the court on the defendant's behalf but added that those who wrote them were perhaps unaware of the other side of his personality.

Morris was sentenced to 40 weeks prison suspended for 18 months and he was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course and and a building better relationships course.

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.

Morris, of Clos John Charles, , Swansea, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.