A MACHYNLLETH man who assaulted his former partner and his mother in Bow Street changed his plea to guilty as he didn’t want the victims to have to give evidence in court, magistrates have heard.

Ricky Cornell, of Flat 2, Heol Pentre Hedyn, admitted assaulting Sam­antha Charles and Deborah Jonns on 8 December after a row at Ms Charles’ home.

Magistrates heard that Cornell became aggressive when he got upset at Ms Charles’ home after hearing that she was seeing another man following the break-up of their rel­ationship.

Ms Charles grabbed Cornell’s arms to try and calm him down, but he then headbutted her to the face, but did not cause any injury as there was not much power beh­ind it.

As the argument spilled outside, Cornell pushed his mother into a car as she tried to calm him down.

Prosecutor Kevin Challinor said Cornell then threatened to kill Ms Charles before grabbing her by the throat.

However, magistrates heard that Cornell had pleaded guilty on the basis that he had not intended to injure Ms Charles with the headbutt as he had just pushed his head into her.

He also denied grabbing Ms Charles by the throat, but said he had instead grabbed her top.

Defence solicitor Alan Lewis told magistrates he did not believe the difference between the prosecution evidence and what Cornell claimed would make a difference to the sentence that magistrates would impose.

He said Cornell had become upset­ and angry after learning that Ms Charles was seeing someone new and he had reacted badly.

Magistrates said they wanted a pre-sentence report into Cornell, 24, and released him on conditional bail until 10 February.