Man jailed for “love bites” assault on unconscious woman

A Wrexham man who gave a woman “love bites” on her neck whilst she was “not fully conscious” has been jailed for 14 months.

Scott Williams, 34, of Coedpoeth, caused extensive bruising to the woman’s neck after she had been drinking alcohol and taken medicine to help her sleep at her home on October 18.

When she woke the following morning, Williams told her to look in the mirror. She noticed “bruising to her neck, similar to love bites” which had not been there when she went to sleep.

Prosecutor Richard Edwards told the court: “The defendant made a comment asking her how she was going to go to work looking like that. The defendant knew she works with an ex-partner.”

Williams and the woman had previously been in a relationship which ended in 2021. He was made subject to a restraining order protecting her on September 19 last year, but on October 18 this year they spoke on the phone and he turned up to help her paint.

When shown photographs of the injuries, Williams was “surprised at the extent of the bruising”, the court heard. He accepted she was “not fully conscious” and had not consented to the bites.

Defence solicitor Euros Jones said Williams had consumed a large quantity of alcohol and claimed it had been “something of a joke”, saying if she passed out he would give her “love bites”. Mr Jones added: “He accepts he went far over the top. He regrets the extent of the bruising on the neck.”

Williams has now become “alcohol free” and has undertaken courses, though not yet “the crucial one” about building better relationships, the court heard.

His Honour Judge Timothy Petts told Williams he had given her the love bites and there had been “a degree of humiliation” in asking her if she was “going to work like that”.

There was a claim it was a “prank gone wrong” but the judge said: “It’s difficult to see how it would have been funny.”

Williams admitted assault causing actual bodily harm at Mold Crown Court and was jailed for one year, with an additional two months activated from an earlier suspended sentence. He also received a two-month concurrent term for breaching the restraining order.