AN EX-BOYFRIEND has been jailed after he “terrified” his former partner and bombarded her with unwanted WhatsApp messages.
Joshua Adams, 32, from Newport, attacked the woman by squeezing her throat and grabbing her by the hair in her own home.
Sophie Rudd, prosecuting, said the defendant had a history of domestic violence and had abused his former girlfriend for years.
A restraining order was imposed against Adams contacting his victim following his conviction for assaulting her by causing her actual bodily harm in 2017.
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Cardiff Crown Court heard how the defendant had repeatedly breached that court order and admitted harassing and assaulting her between last November and January.
Describing the assault last December, the prosecutor said: “He grabbed the complainant by her hair and put his forehead against hers.
“He then cuddled her and apologised.
“The defendant then grabbed her by the hair again and dragged her on to the floor.
“He put his hands around her throat and squeezed her throat.”
On one day he bombarded her with dozens of WhatsApp messages.
Miss Rudd added: “The victim says she has been mentally impacted by this. She is paranoid that he is watching her.
“She’s terrified of him. He’s assaulted her in the past and she fears he will do again.
“She feels he is always watching her.”
Adams, of no fixed abode, admitted four counts of harassment, breaching a restraining order and assault by beating.
His other convictions include robbery, affray and criminal damage.
Stephen Thomas, mitigating, asked the court to give his client credit for his guilty pleas.
He added: “The defendant says this relationship is at an end and that he wishes to move forward.”
The judge, Recorder IWL Jones, told Adams: “You harassed your victim, you scared her and she wanted nothing to do with you.
“Domestic violence is a serious problem in our society.
“This really is the time to stop committing offences of this kind.
“You owe it to your ex-partner to leave her alone.”
He jailed the defendant for 16 months and he was made the subject of an indefinite restraining order.
Adams must also pay a victim surcharge after his release from prison.
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