A man repeatedly punched his wife in the face in their campervan during a trip to the seaside leaving her bruised and bloodied, a court has heard.
Donald Creed initially refused to take his injured partner to the hospital following the assault, but when he eventually did he told his victim's daughter he had just "battered" her mother. The woman suffered swelling and bruising around both eyes, bruises to her shoulders and arms, a cut behind one ear, and a fractured nose in the attack. Swansea Crown Court heard the couple are now reconciled, and are trying to make their marriage work.
Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said that in June last year Creed and his wife of 13 years went for a short break in their motorhome to Llansteffan in Carmarthenshire. She said the couple spent the evening of June 26 sitting on the beach, where they were approached by a group of three people they did not know who began to talk to them.
The court heard that during the conversation a female member of the group asked Creed to roll her a "spliff" or cannabis cigarette - when the defendant's wife objected to what was going on, he lost his temper and went back to their campervan. His wife followed him to the vehicle a short while later.
The argument continued in the motorhome before 49-year-old Creed punched his wife a number of times in the face as she sat on the sofa. Miss Cutter said the victim described the blows as "full force" punches, and she felt immediate and "excruciating" pain before looking down to see blood on her clothes. The woman asked her husband to take her to hospital but he initially refused - the victim kept asking and he eventually agreed, though he told her she did not need medical treatment.
The court heard the woman suffered swelling and bruising around both eyes, bruises to her shoulders and arms, a cut behind one ear, and a swollen and fractured nose. Read about a man stabbed his friend with a carving knife at a birthday party following a row about oral sex.
Miss Cutter said the victim called her daughter to collect her from the hospital, and when she arrived to pick up her mum Creed told her: "I battered your mother but I don't know what damage I caused."
The defendant was arrested the following week, and when questioned claimed his partner had grabbed him first but he accepted causing her injuries.
Donald Creed, of Church Meadow, Boverton, Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 14 previous convictions for 25 offences including two ABHs - both assaults on police officers - and inflicting grievous bodily harm from 2006 which had seen him punching a man and stamping on his head.
Adam Sharp, for Creed, said it was accepted the motorhome assault was "particularly unpleasant" but said it was out of character for the defendant in terms of his relationship with his wife. He said his client had built up his own mechanics business on Llandow business estate where his wife worked with him doing the admin and financial side of the operation, and given the shortage of suitable skilled labour there was nobody else available to take over garage if he were sent straight into custody. The advocate said the couple had reconciled since the events in Llansteffan, were now back living together after the lifting of bail conditions at the magistrates court, and whatever the outcome of the hearing would likely be "living together and working together and seeking to make their marriage work".
With a one-third discount for his guilty plea recorder Aidan Eardley sentenced Creed to 10 months in prison suspended for 18 months, and ordered him to complete a rehabilitation course and a building better relationships course along with 40 hours of unpaid work in the community.
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