A BLAENAU Ffestiniog man who struck his girlfriend’s ex-partner with his car has been slammed by a judge for his repeated violent behaviour.
Judge Geraint Walters described Cemlyn Hughes, of Penygroes, as a “hot-headed individual” as he sentenced him to 42 weeks in prison at Caernarfon Crown Court on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old had pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving after he reversed his Volkswagen Golf into Jamie Jones at Penrhyndeudraeth during a confrontation on Sunday, 24 May, last year.
Jones, who had been engaged in a row with Hughes’ partner, was left with two broken ribs and grazes to his arms following the incident.
Prosecutor Elen Owen told the court how Jones had become violent towards Natasha Williams, pushing and kicking his ex-girlfriend, before throwing a bottle at Hughes’ car.
Hughes responded by reversing the vehicle into Jones, knocking him to the ground, and later returned to the scene in the same car wearing a balaclava to again drive towards his victim. On that occasion no-one was hurt.
A second charge of dangerous driving and one of assault against Hughes were left to lie on file while Jones himself has already been convicted of assault for his actions towards Miss Williams.
Detailing Hughes’ violent past, prosecutor Miss Owen read out a long list of Hughes’ previous convictions dating back to 2006, including a claw hammer attack, an assault that left a victim with a broken jaw and an incident in which he kicked and stamped a man into a state of unconsciousness.
Hughes was also convicted of dangerous driving in September last year.
Judge Walters told the engineering worker: “The facts of this case, taken together with your record, prove beyond any doubt that you are a hot-headed individual who, when challenged or upset, will resort to violence.
“Your record for a 23-year-old is quite frankly shocking and it’s why I’m entitled to come to the conclusion that you can’t control yourself.
“When someone ruffles your feathers you’re going to react.”
In mitigation, Hughes’ barrister James Coutts had said his client was a hard-working young man who was showing signs of improving maturity and awareness.
He asked that Hughes be given a suspended sentence so that he could work with the probation service to deal with his anger issues and improve his thinking skills.
“He is a man who has positives,” Mr Coutts said. “He is not a man without hope.”
Judge Walters, however, said that he had no option but to send Hughes to prison and warned him to address the issues that were landing him in trouble.
He said: “You’re going to have to decide what the future holds for you and, until you start learning to respect authority, you will continue to be in conflict with the law.”
A visibly flustered and confused Hughes shouted “I love you” to his girlfriend from the dock as he was sent down.
He was banned from driving for two years and must take an extended retest before returning to the road.