A NORTH Wales man punched, kicked and stamped upon a former partner - and then blamed it on rough sex.

Barry Alun Jones, 36, lied and said that her injuries - she was covered in bruises and clumps of her hair had been pulled out - occurred during bondage sessions.

But on the morning of his trial Jones admitted that he had attacked her.

Mold Crown Court heard today how the victim, a young mother, thought she was going to die in the attack

Fortunately a neighbour heard a commotion and intervened.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Jones today that but for that intervention, “one wonders what would have ended up happening here.”

Jones, of Pont y Waun, Waunfawr, Caernarfon, was said by his barrister Elen Owen to genuinely not remember anything of the attack and said he wished to apologise for the hurt he had caused the victim.

He suffered mental health problems, had been sectioned under The Mental Health Act after his arrest, and had not been taking his prescribed medication.

Judge Rowlands jailed him for 14 months after he admitted assault, occasioning actual bodily harm, and being in breach of a criminal behaviour order not to contact her.

He also received three months of a previously suspended prison sentence making 17 months in all.

A five year restraining order was made not to contact the victim.

“You attacked a woman in her own home.

“She was in no position to defend herself,” Judge Rowlands told him.

He had left her with serious injuries and sadly he had convictions over the years for violence and disorder.

Prosecuting barrister Claire Jones told how in May of last year the victim returned home from taking her children to school to find the defendant in her home.

He was sitting on the sofa opening her post and when asked what he was doing he laughed but was expressionless.

The defendant said he loved her, that he had lost everything but she said that they would not be getting back together and asked him to leave.

That was when the attack started.

In the kitchen he dragged her by the hair with such force that she ended up on the floor and he kicked her to the arms, legs and body.

She ran to the bedroom as the defendant appeared to be talking to himself and he then punched her to the head.

The prosecutor said: “She thought she was going to die.”

At one stage he stamped on her as she screamed out.

He dragged her downstairs by the hair and told her to put on her shoes, and then tried to drag her back upstairs by the hair, accusing her of taking his phone.

Jones began pushing her through the front door and a neighbour intervened by shouted at him.

At that stage he picked up a knife from a kitchen drawer and the victim believed that he intended to use it upon himself rather than on anyone else.

He begged her and the neighbour not to call the police and they assured him that they would not.

Jones put the knife away and left the house and she was left with serious injuries, extensive bruising to the arms, legs and body, swellings and clumps of her hair had come out.

Police arrested him at a property in Caernarfon where he was trying to hang himself.

He indicated that he had taken a quantity of pills.

Jones was treated at Ysbyty Gwynedd, admitted breaching the criminal behaviour order by going to her home but alleged it was at her request.

The defendant falsely claimed that the extensive injuries had been caused during bondage and rough sex sessions.

Defending barrister Elen Owen said that Jones want to say how sorry he was for the hurt he had caused the complainant.

When the defendant was well the relationship had been good.

He suffered from a serious mental illness, he had not been taking his medication, he genuinely had no memory of the incident and he had been sectioned the following day.

Prison was not the place for him but psychiatric reports did not suggest any form of hospital order or a community mental health requirement.

It was appreciated that there was no alternative to a custodial sentence.

Miss Owen said that it was clear that his health had deteriorated in custody on remand so much so that his solicitor had been extremely concerned for him and had informed the welfare authorities.