‘Immature’ Aberavon man jailed following controlling and abusive behaviour

South Wales Police say that 36-year-old Richard Clement would take his ex-partner’s phone to prevent her from communicating with others. In one incident, when Clement’s ex-partner refused to drive him to a friend’s house, he took her car keys before throwing her to the floor and carrying out a physical assault.

On one occasion he attended the address of his ex-partner’s friend, where his ex-partner was staying, and caused damage to vehicles owned by both the ex-partner and her friend by throwing a stone at them.

After his arrest, Clement displayed threatening behaviour towards the interviewing police officer, saying they had “sh*t evidence” and threatening to “knock out” the detective who was asking him questions. 

Swansea Crown Court heard that Clement had a crack cocaine addiction at the time of the offences.

Clement pleaded guilty to the offences of assault causing actual bodily harm, coercive and controlling behaviour and criminal damage.

He has nine previous convictions for 21 offences including ABH, battery, unlawful wounding and making threats to kill in relation to a different partner.

He was jailed for 30 months in June 2021 after being found guilty of dealing cocaine in Port Talbot.

At a sentencing hearing in Swansea Crown Court, Judge Paul Thomas said Clement was an “immaturely jealous man” who behaved more like a 13-year-old boy with his first crush than a man in his late 30s.

He has been sentenced to two years in prison and given a restraining order against the victim.

Detective Constable Andrew Williams from South Wales Police said: “Richard Clement is an individual who is too immature to feel comfortable in a relationship if he doesn’t have complete control over his partner.

“His ex-partner was perfectly entitled to want to distance herself from Clement after the vile ordeal to which he subjected her.

“This was disgraceful, bullying behaviour for which there is no place anywhere in our community.”

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Aberavon man jailed after leaving woman ‘living a life of misery and in constant fear’

South Wales Police say 24-year-old Thomas Edwards, from Aberavon, assaulted his victim in August 2024. The same month, he made his victim send him videos showing him who she was with whilst at work. He also sent a threatening voice note to her manager, as well as attending her place of work to watch her whilst on a shift.

Further examples of Edwards’ controlling behaviour included preventing her from seeing friends and logging into her social media accounts to monitor her activity.

After initially pleading not guilty, Edwards changed his plea to guilty in January.

He has this week been sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Sergeant Emma Beasley from South Wales Police said: “Thomas Edwards’ controlling behaviour was unacceptable, and left his victim living a life of misery and in constant fear of his actions.

“Nobody should have to go through the ordeal that Thomas Edwards subjected his victim to.

“If you feel that you are on the receiving end of coercive and controlling behaviour, please speak out. Our officers will be able to support you, and where appropriate, bring such offenders to justice.”

(Lead image: South Wales Police)

#Aberavon #assault #controllingBehaviour #domesticViolence #SouthWalesPolice