Yahoo News Man who avoided jail after strangling his partner breached order just days later
A man who was spared jail after strangling his partner, has been jailed for breaching a restraining order just days after. Colin Owen was given a 15-month suspended sentence last month, after admitting intentional strangulation.
His partner at the time feared she was going to pass out when he began strangling her following a disagreement. As part of the punishment, Owen, 40, of Maes Athen, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, was ordered not contact her, with certain specific exceptions, or to enter an area in Llangefni.
However just days after, he was spotted in a car in the prohibited area. There were two further breaches after, where he entered the area, a sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court heard today. Owen admitted the three breaches of the order.
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The prosecution said his ex-partner was "in complete shock at how quickly the order was breached," and it caused her to "completely panic and shake uncontrollably". The breaches have also left her "scared and with paranoia".
In his defence the court was told it was a "genuine" misunderstanding, he had not done it deliberately and had not tried to contact her. He was still trying to come to terms with his previous behaviour and how it had torn the family apart, but was trying to move on with his life being in another relationship.
He also helped looking after his poorly elderly parents. Owen had also been complying with the probation service and had been working through his unpaid work sentence.
Judge Timothy Petts rejected a request not to send him to prison and said to beak the restraining order once "would be bad enough, but I am not satisfied that you can say they you broke it accidentally three times". He added: "Your victim is shocked by the fact that you breached the order so quickly as frankly so am I."
Judge Petts sentenced Owen to a total of 18 months - three months for the breaches, and five months activated from the suspended sentence for strangulation. Owen will serve nine months in prison and nine months on licence.
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