Jealous man punched ex in the face (From Barry And District News)

Jealous man punched ex in the face

A JEALOUS Barry man followed his ex-girlfriend to beat her up because he thought she had a new lover, Cardiff Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

Steven Dawe jumped through a window to punch mother-of-two Rachel James around the face.

The court heard welder Dawe, aged 26, of Merthyr Street, shouted Who is he? as he gripped Miss James around the throat and hit her.

Prosecutor Karl Williams said: He grabbed her around the throat and punched her four or five times in the face - she fell to the floor confused.

He was shouting: Who is he? Who is he?

Miss James s face suffered extensive bruising and her nose was bleeding.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Dawe s nine-year relationship with Miss James was fraught with violence.

But James Evans, defending, said Dawe, who has previous convictions for violence and theft, was getting his life in order.

He said: He has a new girlfriend and this relationship is proving to be a better one - they intend to get married as soon as he leaves custody.

He is also a skilled welder and fabricator and already has the equipment to set up his own business.

He feels the utmost shame for what he has done.

But Judge Lloyd Williams said: I treat your expression of shame with some scepticism.

I have no choice but to hand down a custodial sentence.

Dawe pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and the theft of Miss James s necklace and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.