Abusive boyfriend jailed for horrific Mountain Ash attack

A violent boyfriend who transformed into a “monster” after drinking has been jailed for three years following a brutal attack on his partner that left her fearing for her life.

Scott Morris, 42, of Holly Road in Ty Sign, subjected his partner to a horrific assault in the early hours of 10 May at her home in Mountain Ash. When police arrived after receiving emergency calls from both the victim and her friend, Morris initially refused to let officers inside. But police soon spotted his partner shouting for help from an upstairs window, with visible injuries including a black eye, facial swelling and blood around her mouth.

“F*** you. You battered me again,” she shouted at Morris as officers witnessed the scene, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard.

The court was told Morris had engaged in a repeated pattern of abusive behaviour against his partner between May 2024 and his arrest. The prosecution detailed how he was verbally abusive, aggressive and derogatory towards her, pulled her hair, stubbed out cigarettes on her, and would take her phone and unplug the Wi-Fi to further isolate her.

During the violent incident on 10 May, Morris punched his partner repeatedly in the face and head before pulling her from her bed. He then stamped on her, extinguished a cigarette on her, and later smashed her phone. The victim believed she was going to die during the terrifying ordeal.

When interviewed by police, Morris denied assaulting his partner, claiming she didn’t have those injuries when he returned home. However, he pleaded guilty on the day of trial to engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and criminal damage.

In a powerful victim statement read to the court, she said: “I am constantly living on edge. Living in fear in my own home. I am scared he will hurt others as he did to me, or worse. I am now rebuilding a better and stronger life without Scott in it. I feel a sense of relief knowing Scott is behind bars.”

She added that any good memories she had of their relationship had been “tainted by the monster he became after a drink”.

The court heard Morris has six previous convictions for 12 offences, though he had no previous convictions for violence or domestic abuse. His defence counsel told the court that Morris viewed his time in custody as being “very positive” as it had given him time to reflect on his offending and he had “completely detoxed” from drink and drugs. The defendant had accessed support whilst in prison by engaging with Dyfodol.

Sentencing Morris, Judge Vanessa Francis stated: “There’s very little mitigation.”

Morris was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment, and the victim was granted a 10-year restraining order for her protection.