A NEWCASTLE Emlyn man assaulted his wife after she tried to stop him carrying out a threat to kill himself, a court heard.

Hefin Wyn Griffiths, 34, admitted two charges of assault on Cerys Griffiths on 7 and 8 February after he returned home drunk after being out on a stag do, despite initially telling police he had not put his wife in a headlock or kicked and slapped her.

However, prosecutor Dennis Davies said Mrs Griffiths, who has since left Griffiths and asked for a restraining order against her husband, told police officers that Griffiths had been angry and aggressive when he returned home as he had lost money on a bet.

She said he started punching the walls, but stopped after she calmed him down. However an argument started when the couple discussed their relationship and an affair that Griffiths had had with another woman.

During the row, Griffiths again started punching walls and his wife tried to stop him and calm him down only for him to tell her that “you’re not my boss”.

Mr Davies said Griffiths then put his wife in a headlock before forcing her to the ground and kicking her in the leg and slapping her on the arms and back.

Griffiths then went downstairs and Mrs Griffiths left him alone for a while before going down to see him and starting to talk about the incident.

However, Griffiths told her he was going to kill himself and went outside before going back to the bedroom and tying a dressing gown belt around his neck.

Mrs Griffiths tried to take it off him and stop him, but Griffiths then pushed her again.

Griffiths then went to sleep with Mrs Griffiths leaving to stay with her mother.

Following his arrest, Griffiths insisted that he had only pushed his wife onto the bed as he tried to walk past her as she was giving him a “hard time”.

He added that the situation between him and his wife had been very stressful.

Magistrates imposed a community order for 12 months with a 15 day rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work. He will also have to pay costs of £145.

Griffiths was also made subject to a restraining order for 12 months.