Thug left girlfriend with life-threatening injuries
A THUG with alcohol issues caused “life threatening” injuries to his girlfriend, including a bleed on the brain.
A judge described the injuries as “some of the worst I’ve seen”.
Curtis Williams, 25, of Talbot Green, had drunk 20 bottles of lager, 10 cans of lager and a bottle of vodka when he assaulted his then partner over a number of days.
The victim’s face was so swollen, she was unable to open her left eye and she had little recollection of the attack.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard the defendant and the victim began speaking on Tinder in 2022 and formed a relationship in November 2023.
Arrangements were made for the victim to attend Williams’ home on October 31. She had been out with family and arrived later than planned, which annoyed the defendant.
There was an argument between the couple and Williams hit the victim to the face with his hands. This left the victim in pain and she went to bed.
Upon waking the next day, her cheek was swollen. She went to work and the defendant messaged her, apologising for his behaviour.
She returned to his home, where they had food and watched films.
The victim was unable to remember what happened that evening but waking up the next morning she was unable to open her left eye, which she described as “crusty and stuck together”. She looked at her phone and saw she had a black eye.
As a result, she telephoned her employee and arranged to change her shift.
Williams apologised to the victim for causing the injury, and Googled ways of treating a black eye.
Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said the victim remembered kneeling on the floor, bent over and covering her head with her hands to protect her head from the defendant punching her. On November 6, she remembered her arm feeling like a “dead weight”, felt dizzy and her vision was poor.
During her stay at Williams’ home, he was drinking large amounts and kept giving the victim Ibuprofen.
Later that day there was a knock at the door and it was the police, who responded to a call from a concerned person. The victim initially claimed the injury had been caused by her falling down the stairs.
Not satisfied with her explanation, officers persuaded her to come with them and took her home. She later attended hospital with her mother.
A CT scan revealed the victim had suffered a bleed on the brain. She described feeling severe pain to her jaw, and an inability to stand for long periods of time.
The victim suffered a catalogue of injuries, the most serious of which were described as “life threatening”.
They included bruising and swelling to her face, chest wall and lower arms, bruising to both eyes, left eye closed up, a wound between her eyes, cut to her top lip, bruising and cut to the right side of her neck with suspected finger marks, bruises to her upper back and spine, bruising and burn marks to her abdomen, and bruises to her buttock, thigh, knee shin and right ankle.
Williams, of Llys Illtyd, was arrested and when asked if he had caused the injuries to the victim, he replied: “Not to my recollection.”
He told police they had argued “over her lies” and said he became frustrated “over her little white lies”.
He admitted calling her names such as “b **** ”, “b ****** ”, and a f ****** liar”.
He later pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, and the court heard he had no previous conditions.
In mitigation, defence barrister Peter Donnison said the “root cause” of his client’s issues was alcohol and substance issues, which he developed at the age of 15.
He argued the sentence could be suspended because the defendant had served the equivalent of a seven-anda-half month prison sentence while on remand in custody, and he could undergo an “aggressive programme” to deal with his alcohol issues.
Sentencing, Recorder Neil OwenCasey said: “These injuries are some of the worst I’ve seen in this court. The injuries around the neck and left side of her face are horrendous.” The judge also condemned and rejected the defendant’s comments in his probation interview, in which he sought to blame the victim for his actions.
The judge added: “This was a prolonged and persistent attack, not even your victim completely understands what happened in the space of a few days. This was a drink-fuelled incident which caused severe injuries to your victim, injuries that you never explained how you inflicted them.”
Williams was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months. He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, 29 sessions of the Building Better Relationships programme, a 12-day rehabilitation activity requirement, a 12-month alcohol treatment requirement and made subject to a restraining order for five years.