Glyn Ceiriog man jailed for assault after ex-partner began relationship with her best friend

Gavin Richards went to the house the two women shared in the early hours and burst into the bathroom, knocking the door off its hinges.

He then assaulted his former partner’s new partner by prodding her with a poker and making threats.

Gavin Richards, 35, of New Road, Glyn Ceiriog, was jailed for a year yesterday after he admitted affray, assault and criminal damage. A five year restraining order was also made.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Mold Crown Court yesterday that Richards could not come to terms with the fact his former partner had formed a relationship with someone of the same sex

He found it impossible to deal with and behaved in an irrational way for weeks leading up to the incident. He made various threats to his former partner and threatened to commit suicide.

The two women were plainly terrified when he went to their home in the early hours of October 30, the judge said.

Richards burst into the bathroom where the victim had locked herself in and when she went downstairs he subjected her to a terrifying ordeal.

He assaulted her and threatened her with a poker before causing damage to the house and to her car.

Judge Rowlands said the sentence had to reflect the fact that his primary motivation was that he could not come to terms with the relationship.

His pre-sentence report “made interesting reading”, he said.

Richards had described the women’s relationship as repulsive.

Judge Rowlands said Richards was prepared to threaten and bully women when it suited him.

His motivation had been their sexual orientation and he had carried out a sustained episode in which threats of violence were used.

Paulinus Barnes, prosecuting, said Richards and his partner, who had a child together, split up amicably last December.

They remained on friendly terms until she started a relationship with a woman and moved in with her.

He sent her text messages saying he wanted them back as a family again and threatened suicide.

The former partner had helped him and called an ambulance at one stage after finding him unconscious.

Richards was released from hospital on October 29 and the incident took place in the early hours of the following day.

When his former partner answered the door, he shouted “where is she?”

The new partner had locked herself in the bathroom and was terrified of him but he burst in, knocking the door off its hinges.

He called her a family wrecker and other abusive names and said he would kill her.

Downstairs he ripped her top, waved a poker around and stuck the sofa where she was sitting with it.

He prodded her with the poker and made threats, saying he knew where she lived and worked.

Richards threw a phone on the fire when an attempt was made to raise the alarm.

Both women fled to a neighbour’s house as he smashed items in the house and the rear car windscreen.

Later arrested, he told police: “I lost it last night.”

James Coutts, defending, said unfortunately Richards had been unable to deal with the ending of the relationship and his ex-partner’s new relationship.

Richards had shown deficiencies in his thinking skills and was prepared to address the underlying issues with the probation service, Mr Coutts said.

He added Richards had a good work record and a reference from an employer showed another side to him.

Mr Coutts suggested a suspended sentence would allow the probation service to address some of the attitudes he had and he was motivated to work with them.

But the judge said that sounded hollow when compared to the attitude displayed in his pre-sentence report.