A CONTROLLING boyfriend who whipped his girlfriend with a dog lead before using it to strangle her, has been locked up.

Jamie Williams, from Newport, also placed her in a headlock, banged her head against a fridge door, poured alcohol and washing up liquid over her, and punched her repeatedly.

His victim’s terrifying ordeal, which happened in her own home just before Christmas, lasted an hour, Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court.

He said she thought she was going to die at the hands of Williams, of Welland Crescent, Bettws, Newport.

The defendant attacked the woman after he flew into a rage when she asked him if he had seen the key to her flat which she could not find.

Mr Broadstock told the court: “She said she was terrified. She honestly thought he might kill her. It went on for about an hour.

“He grabbed her by the hair and threw her against the fridge, and started banging her head against the fridge door.

“The defendant grabbed half-drank bottles of alcohol and some washing up liquid, and poured it over her.

“He used a dog lead to whip her all over her body. She started screaming in pain and begged him to stop.

“The defendant wrapped the lead around her neck and she felt she was choking and started to panic.

“He kicked her on the floor. When she managed to escape from the flat, he told her, ‘Go on, run to mummy.’”

The judge, Recorder David Harris, was also told how Williams had punched his girlfriend at least 10 times, thrown her against the wall and hit her in the ribs with a metal cannabis grinder.

She suffered a black eye, soft tissue damage and injuries to her neck and torso during the sustained assault.

The court was told that he had also attacked her two months previously when he had thrown a stone at her, hitting her in the forehead.

The 20-year-old admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one of controlling and coercive behaviour.

The latter offence included him putting pressure on her to stop seeing her mother.

The judge was told the relationship was now over and that the woman had told police: “I don’t want him near me ever again. He terrifies me.”

Mr Broadstock said Williams had a previous conviction for assaulting his victim from July 2019.

Ben Waters, representing the defendant, said his client had experienced a difficult childhood.

He added: “His behaviour was abhorrent and he fully accepts that. He has issues with cannabis and anger management.

“His best mitigation is his early guilty pleas.”

Recorder Harris told Williams: “You lost your temper and became violent. You placed her in a headlock.

“You whipped her with a dog lead and wrapped it around her neck and tightened it.

“There were aspects of this assault that were degrading for her.”

The judge sent Williams to a young offender institution for 16 months and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £149 upon his release from custody.

He also imposed a three-year restraining order preventing the defendant from contacting the victim.