A husband strangled his wife of 42 years and threatened to kill her after she told him she didn't want to have sex with him because he was drunk. The attack left the woman "in utter fear" and unable to sleep.
Ha Tang, 68, of Barry, strangled his wife three times on March 24 during an assault at the home they shared. It began when he called her into the living room and said: "Why don't you want to have sex with me?"
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard she did not want to have sex with the defendant because he was drunk, but he became angry and accused her of having a boyfriend and called her a "ho". He continued to shout and swear at the victim and was clearly intoxicated, as he was slurring his words and stumbling around.
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Prosecutor Nik Strobl said Tang followed his wife upstairs and turned off the power and the water. The victim then called her son which caused the defendant to become even angrier. He entered the bedroom where his wife was and told her "I want a divorce from you, I don't want you to go and see our son, I want you to stay with me".
His words then became more sinister, and he told her: "Before I go to prison I want to kill you first." The victim began crying and begged for Tang to let her leave but he refused and pushed her on the bed. He grabbed hold of one of her arms and whilst pinning her down he put his other hand around her neck and squeezed tightly until she couldn't breathe.
The victim managed to struggle free and ran towards the window but Tang followed her and again began to strangle her before pushing her onto the bed and strangling her a third time. She managed to break free again and escaped despite the defendant's attempts to stop her. She attended a neighbour's address in a "distressed state" and the police were called.
Upon attending, officers could see red marks around the victim's neck and bruises to her right eye. The defendant was arrested and admitted he had pushed the victim on the bed but denied any strangulation took place.
Tang, of Severn Avenue, later pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation. The court heard he was of previous good character.
In victim personal statement, the defendant's wife said: "I feel in utter fear even now. I have never been hit or strangled before and this was the first time Ha has ever hit me. After the incident I stayed with my son in Cardiff because I felt safe with him. When I eventually went back home I found sleep and the nights hard. I was having bad dreams about him strangling me. I haven't had a dream since but during the nights while I'm in bed I feel scared.
"I have a lock in my bedroom when I sleep because I am scared Ha will come in the nights. Now I know he's in prison, I think to myself he could be released at any time which is why I am so afraid. My daughter tells me to not to lock the bedroom door just in case of an emergency of if a fire starts. I told her I will keep locking the door and will use the window to escape if I must because I am afraid. If I am upstairs and hear a noise downstairs I am afraid and get a little jumpy because I think Ha could be downstairs. I keep my doors locked all the time.
In mitigation, Nadeem Majid said his client had never been violent before towards his wife and described the incident as a "moment of madness". He said the defendant was extremely remorseful for his behaviour and had spent seven weeks in custody on remand.
Sentencing, Recorder Neil Owen-Casey said: "This is a very sad situation and has brought about the end of your marriage, a union that has existed for 42 years. It has brought not only fear and upset for your victim but it has brought upset and sorrowful remorse from yourself. I have no doubt you're fully ashamed and no doubt you feel very remorseful but what you have done is attack somebody who is extremely close to you and somebody who trusted you as a partner in your marriage."
Tang was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to carry out unpaid work and was made subject to a restraining order for two years.
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