A thug headbutted his ex-girlfriend after taking her American bulldog and threatening to kill the animal unless he was paid £5,000. Declan Pitman, 24, attacked the woman after she turned up at his address to take the dog back.
The defendant was described as "jealous" during his relationship with his former partner and would accuse her of being unfaithful, which led to the end of the relationship. Following the break-up she moved to her mother's address but kept the dog at her home and would go there in the day to attend to him.
But on March 8, she went to her flat and discovered the dog had been taken. She then started to receive messages, with one demanding £5,000 or the dog would be killed.
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A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard the victim was told two days later that Pitman had taken the dog which was being kept at his mother's house in Caerau, Maesteg. When she arrived at the property, the dog was in the living room.
Prosecutor Gareth James said: "She went over to get her dog and grabbed it by the collar when the defendant headbutted her straight to her forehead and screamed at her. She described the headbutt as being done with considerable force and caused her extreme pain."
The victim pushed Pitman onto the sofa and left the flat with the dog before calling the police. She did not need any medical attention as a result of the headbutt.
Pitman, of Tudor Estate, was arrested and initially claimed that somebody else had assaulted the victim but he later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The court heard he had previous convictions for offences of violence, some of which took place in a domestic context.
Defence barrister Robert Chudleigh said his client accepted his role in the assault and does not wish to see the victim again. He said the defendant had a daughter who he helped care for.
Judge Hywel James sentenced Pitman to eight months imprisonment. He also made him subject to a restraining order for five years.
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