Man jailed after prison letter and same-day doorstep visit

A man who tried to manipulate his victim from behind bars has been jailed after breaching his suspended sentence on the very day he received it.

Simon Thomas, 57, was serving time for intentionally strangling his partner Deborah Williams when he sent her a letter on May 16. In it, he detailed the name of his solicitor’s firm and told her to ring them and drop the charges. He added: “The other way is don’t turn up to court for my hearing on 20th May.”

Cardiff Crown Court heard how on June 13, Thomas was handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, for the intentional strangulation and was released from custody. On the same day, he visited Ms Williams’ home address.

He returned a week later on June 20, and Ms Williams let him in “to keep the peace between them”. When he came back later that afternoon, he appeared intoxicated and became verbally aggressive towards her. He refused to leave and she called the police.

By the time officers arrived he had left, but five minutes later he phoned her. Police told him to stay away from the address. However, five minutes later he rang the intercom buzzer and was subsequently arrested.

When arrested, he said he thought he had done nothing wrong by visiting her and that he thought it was a joke when police told him not to go back there.

In a victim impact statement read aloud to the court, Ms Williams said how she was now medicated for her mental health and struggled to sleep as a result of the incident. She now suffered from panic attacks and avoided answering her front door. She added: “All I want is a simple, peaceful life.”

The court heard Thomas, of Coed-Y-Gores, Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, had been living in council housing but had now lost the accommodation and would be homeless when released from custody. He had two young grandchildren who he was very involved with, helping out financially and through babysitting. He had been “working on himself” in custody, completing several educational courses.

Thomas has three previous convictions for four offences.

Judge Richard Kember sentenced Thomas to a total of two years and four months in prison. He was given 18 months for witness intimidation, nine months consecutive for the breach of a suspended sentence, and one month consecutive for harassment.

Judge Kember added: “You were remanded within one week of your suspended sentence being invoked and it involves the same person. It’s not unjust to activate the original custodial term.”

A six-year restraining order was put in place in regards to Ms Williams, and Thomas was ordered to pay a statutory surcharge.