'Vile' Pontypridd man threatened to shave girlfriend's head in violent rage

A man left his girlfriend "very frightened" after he flew into a violent rage and grabbed her hair and threatened to shave her head.

Rhys Griffiths, 30, from Glyncoch near Pontypridd, was having his back shaved by his partner when she accidentally nicked him with a razor.

Cardiff Magistrates Court heard on 18 November last year he turned to her and said, "What you doing, you stupid f****** ****?"

"Instead of saying 'be careful', you turned and swore," District Judge Steve Harmes told Griffiths.When Griffiths' partner said she was not prepared to continue, he became threatening. She warned him not to touch her but he demanded: "Do my f***ing back." Griffiths then stood blocking the door with the shaver in his hand and said: "How would you like to have half your hair off?""You had a huge size and weight advantage. You were holding what was effectively a weapon", Judge Harmes said. "She didn't know if you were going to carry out your threat or not, but she feared it would happen. She was in shock as you grabbed her by the hair."

His then-girlfriend described to the court how he was a "vile human". Judge Harmes found him guilty of assault and said he had kept his partner in the room against her will during the "prolonged" attack."The shame and exposure and ridicule if you'd shaven her hair would have been overwhelming — ask any woman," the judge told him.

"Domestic violence against women in these circumstances is unacceptable."Griffiths, of High View Way, has autism and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

His solicitor said: "Yes there was a verbal argument, yes he raised his voice. He accepts it was not the right thing to do and he would have caused her some upset. He still feels there is an opportunity for that relationship to reconcile."

Griffiths cried in the dock as his solicitor added that his client accepted he had "lacked maturity" and would be prepared to do "absolutely everything to ensure he doesn't receive a custodial sentence".But the judge imposed an immediate 16-week jail term on top of prosecution costs of £774 and a £154 victim services surcharge.

He told Griffiths: "It appears you may have a chance of reconciliation... if you do, good. Your child will have a family. I hope that you are not angry about [the jail term] but that you will change and be a decent father. Yes?"Griffiths replied that he would.