A THUG smiled as he strangled and repeatedly banged the head of his ill wife against a wall.

Dean Ewers, 43, attacked the woman, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, at their matrimonial home in Newport.

She was terrified and she thought she was going to die, Amelia Pike, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court.

Ewers’ alcohol-fuelled attack took place after the couple had argued.

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“He threw his phone at her and told her that he would kill her if she rang the police," Miss Pike said.

South Wales Argus:

Dean Ewers

“The defendant then pushed her to the floor and then picked her up and began to strangle her.

“She lost consciousness and when she came round, she begged him to let her go.

“The victim was struggling to catch her breath and he then proceeded to hit her head repeatedly against the wall.”

The prosecutor added: “With his hands still around her throat, he was smiling and telling her that he was going to kill her.

“She stated that she was scared for her life and she was begging him to stop.

“He eventually let her go to allow her to use the bathroom and upon her return, he wanted to kiss her and told her that he loved her.

“But he then continued to threaten to kill her and said, ‘I'm going to f****** kill you. You're a dead woman.'”

When the police were called, the defendant racially abused an officer who was arresting him.

In a victim impact statement, his wife said: “He has ruined my life and I am living in a nightmare that I cannot awake from.

“I never want to see him again.”

Ewers pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment.

The defendant, formerly of Ebbw Vale, now of Newport, has 14 previous convictions for 24 offences, including battery.

Jeffrey Jones representing Ewers asked that he be given credit for his guilty pleas.

His barrister added that his client was an alcoholic who suffers with his health.

Judge Paul Hopkins KC told Ewers: “You have difficulties controlling your anger in specific circumstances.”

He added that the defendant’s behaviour had been “disgraceful”.

Ewers was jailed for two years and five months and was made the subject of a 10-year restraining order not to contact his wife.