Aberdare Man Jailed for Brutal Campaign of Domestic Violence

A 29-year-old man from Aberdare has been sentenced to two years in prison after subjecting his partner to a horrific campaign of physical and mental abuse spanning nearly two years.

Gareth Morgan, of Dan yr Heol, Penywaun, repeatedly assaulted his partner, including an attack at a London Hilton Hotel where he punched her multiple times while she was pregnant. The court heard how he strangled her, headbutted her on Christmas Eve, and isolated her from friends and family.

In a powerful victim statement, she said: “I was in complete fear of Gareth and was thinking of contacting the police for the entirety of 2024 as I wanted to escape him but Gareth has told me he would kill me if I did so. I believed that he would.”

The abuse culminated in November when Morgan punched her 10 times to the face after barging into her home. He later threatened her via WhatsApp, saying: “If there’s someone else, I mean it, if there’s any other boy around my kids I’ll kill you.”

Judge Eugene Egan told Morgan: “You said you loved her most and treated her the worst. You sought to blame the victim in this case… You were bullying and intimidating towards her and it went on for a long period.”

Morgan pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour, intentional strangulation, assault occasioning ABH, and criminal damage. He was sentenced to 24 months in prison and received a 10-year restraining order.