Jealous boyfriend jailed after violent attack on partner

A short-tempered boyfriend violently attacked his partner after going through her phone, before threatening to torch her car when she ended the relationship.

Macaulay Short was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court having admitted a series of offences targeted at his now former partner. He pleaded guilty to common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, threatening to destroy or damage property, and stalking. Short was jailed for 18 months.

Prosecutor Amelia Pike said Short and the victim had been in a relationship since September 2023 and had a young child together.

The couple were sat upstairs at around 11.30pm on 17 December last year when Short exploded over a screenshot he found when he went through her phone. An argument erupted, during which Short called his partner several derogatory names. He refused to give her back her phone, so she took his and went downstairs.

Short broke his partner’s fingernail as he attempted to grab his phone back. Whilst downstairs, Short grabbed his partner by the throat and hair and hit her head against the sofa cushions. He then got in the victim’s face and said: “I’ll kill you, you f***ing s***. Look at you, you’re a dirty rat s***.”

The victim was left with reddening and scratches to her neck, Ms Pike said. She contacted her mother and moved out of the address.

On Christmas Eve, she received “a number of calls” from a withheld number. She recognised Short’s voice and told him to stop calling. However, she received a further 22 missed calls from the withheld number in a 15-minute period, Ms Pike said.

Two days later, Short showed up outside the victim’s new home. She told him to leave, and her friend escorted him away. The following day he messaged her: “I’m dying without you love. I can’t take this.”

Short was arrested on 28 December. He was released on bail on the condition of not contacting his ex-partner. However, she continued to receive calls from a withheld number. She answered a call on 31 January, and Short said: “Watch what happens” and “I’m going to light your car on fire.”

He was arrested again on 9 February.

Short, 28, of Ty Coch in Rhymney, pleaded guilty on the day of trial. The court heard the defendant had four previous convictions for four offences, including a previous conviction for harassment of a previous partner. He was subject to a community order at the time of these offences, Ms Pike said.

“The defendant accepts a custodial sentence is inevitable,” said Megan Williams, in mitigation.

Judge Shomon Khan granted the victim a three-year restraining order.