A MAN ‘exercised a real degree of control’ over his ex-girlfriend by headbutting and repeatedly assaulting her on two separate occasions, a court heard.

Liam Watmough, 27, caused his former partner to suffer headaches, swelling and bruising after he punched her in the right leg and right arm ‘multiple times’, prosecutor Adam White said.

The court heard the defendant then hit her with a newspaper and punched her to the back of the head before pushing her onto the bed and punching a hole in the bedroom wall.

Mr White said the woman was forced to attend A&E where she was given a wrist splint to wear as a result of the injuries she had sustained.

The court was told the assault occurred at around 11am on July 17 2022 after the defendant had asked the complainant if she had read his text message about whether she had any concern about their relationship finishing.

The complainant then read the message in front of the defendant while he was sat on her bed and told him she did not want to continue the relationship, the court heard.

Around one month earlier, the defendant first assaulted his ex-partner after they had begun a relationship while they were both working at the Lakeland Leisure Park in Flookburgh in June 2022, the court heard.

Mr White said Watmough was ‘physically upset’ when he sent a text message to the complainant asking her to meet him at the café area on a day he was off shift.

“He made a threat to glass her and she was scared what he would do at that point so walked off towards the staff area,” Mr White said.

“The defendant then followed her and headbutted her in the face.”

The court heard the woman did not sustain any injury on that occasion.

Watmough was arrested on site after his ex-partner told security about the assault in July.

He denied both assaults and told officers he went in to kiss his ex-partner when their heads clashed.

In her victim personal statement, his former partner said the defendant had destroyed her 'emotionally and mentally' and that she was still suffering from shooting pains in her wrist.

In mitigation, Kimberley Obrusik said there had been no further contact between the two parties.

She said: “This is a man who has no previous convictions. He struggles to accept the harm he has caused to his ex-partner and seeks to minimise his behaviour more out of shame than anything else.

“He has matured since the commission of this offending and knows he needs to stand up and accept what he has done.”

Watmough, of Maes-Yr-Ysgol, St Catherines Street in Carmarthen, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court on April 22 after pleading guilty to two counts of assault by beating on the day of trial.

Sentencing the defendant to an 18-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months, His Honour Judge Richard Archer said: “This is very unpleasant offending.

“It is obvious to me you exercised a real degree of control over her. You expected her to be always available and you let your temper get the better of you.

“You denied you had done wrong and in reality, you still deny any wrongdoing. It is clear I cannot rely on any remorseful behaviour.

“There is no reason why I should not send you to prison. You do not have a realistic prospect of rehabilitation at the moment and your personal mitigation is not strong.

"However, you do not present a risk of danger to the public and sending you to custody for a short period of time would do nothing to rehabilitate you. I hope you realise the error of your ways.”

Watmough was required to complete 20 rehabilitation requirement days and 120 hours of unpaid work as part of the suspended sentence order.