GIRLFRIEND FEARED SHE WOULD DIE
ACONTROLLING boyfriend threatened to stab his partner and “bounce her head off the kerb”, a court heard. Ashley Edwards, 21, was described by a judge as “someone with the capacity to kill” as he was sent to prison.
On June 3 this year, Edwards, of Murray Street, Llanelli, argued with his partner and went round to her home, jumped over her garden wall and demanded to see her.
He then returned later on that day after she had returned home and let himself into the house, despite her saying she did not wish to see him.
Inside the house she was sitting down and he demanded that she stand up, only for him to then push her. He also brandished a knife and threatened to stab her.
A sentencing hearing was held at Swansea Crown Court after Edwards had previously pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour, two counts of threatening criminal damage, criminal damage, making threats to kill, blackmail and a breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which was put in place in 2021.
The court was told the victim “genuinely believed” that she would die if she did not do exactly what he told her to do.
Prosecution barrister Tom Scapens said that, on the same day, the couple walked to a park where the defendant said he would “bounce her head off the kerb and break her jaw” and said he would “hurt her” if she did not stop crying.
He demanded that she transfer her savings to him and even asked the victim what she was going to do to change her behaviour.
Mr Scapens also told the court how Edwards would control his victim during their relationship, which started last year, by checking her phone, asking her regularly where she was going and stopping her from seeing her friends.
He abused her physically by hitting her repeatedly to the body, arms and legs, abused her verbally by calling her a “c***” and a “s***”, and smashed her phone.
In a personal impact statement read to the court, the victim said she “felt trapped and isolated” in the relationship. She said she was made to “feel worthless” and that the ordeal “had a real impact on my mental health”.
In mitigation, defence barrister Ian Ibrahim said his client was “still only 21 years old” and “is or was a rather immature individual”.
Mr Ibrahim added Edwards was remorseful and that he underwent a “deeply unpleasant childhood” during which his mother abandoned him and his father was an alcoholic.
He was also diagnosed with ADHD at the age of five.
“It was no childhood at all,” said Mr Ibrahim.
His Honour Judge Geraint Walters referred to Edwards as someone who has “the capacity to kill”.
Addressing him in court, Judge Walters said: “The victim in this case is your own partner. You exercised controlling and coercive behaviour over her for a significant period of time. You consider yourself above everybody else and certainly the law.”
Edwards was handed three-year prison sentences for each of the counts of controlling or coercive behaviour, threatening criminal damage, criminal damage, making threats to kill and blackmail, with all sentences to be served concurrently.
Meanwhile, he was handed a oneyear sentence for the offence of breaching the SHPO which will be served consecutively, meaning a total of four years in prison, half of which will be served in custody with the remainder on licence.