Victim felt that her life was 'not worth living'

A MAN left his partner battered and bruised in a hospital A&E unit after becoming angry she had spoken to a former boyfriend, a court heard.

- JASON EVANS

Gavin Powell, who holds a “responsible” position on the HS2 high-speed railway project, punched and kicked the woman and pulled her by the hair after turning up at her home in a drunken state. Swansea Crown Court heard Powell's victim said his behaviour had made her feel like her life was “not worth living any more”.

Regan Walters, prosecuting, told the court the relationship between Powell and the complainant was initially a good one but it changed and deteriorated when the defendant started becoming aggressive and violent towards his partner.

The court heard that on January 1 the complainant visited her cousin and when she returned home she found the defendant, who had stayed over the previous night, in an aggressive mood.

The prosecutor said Powell grabbed the woman by the throat with both hands and lifted her up before throwing her down. He then forced his partner's face into a pillow and shouted at her before pushing his face against hers and biting her on the face and nose.

The second assault happened just over two weeks later when an intoxicated Powell turned up at the woman's property. The court heard he became “angry and aggressive” because his partner had spoken to an ex-boyfriend.