'Controlling' Cardiff man threatened 'vulnerable' colleague and held fake gun to his head

A court has heard how a "controlling" man held a woman in his home because he "loved her" and when she rejected him, he said he would shoot himself.

Kerryn Everett, 31, from Cathays in Cardiff, knew the victim from work and they had met up three times before.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that the victim went to stay at Everett's home after a night out but when she arrived, his flatmate called her derogatory names, which made her feel uncomfortable.

Everett grabbed her shoulders, picked her up off her feet, and carried her inside the house and into his bedroom, saying: "I just want a chat."The victim refused and Everett kicked his wardrobe in anger.

The court heard things then escalated.

Everett pulled out what the victim described as a handgun.

He pointed it at his head and said if the victim would not speak to him, then he would shoot himself.

She said he wasn't funny before starting to cry.

Everett then put the gun in his mouth and began to laugh, hysterically, the court heard.

The victim managed to escape Everett's bedroom and home before he ran after her down the street.

He started punching himself and took his top off, telling her: "Look what you made me do."

She was then grabbed and Everett tried to drag her back to the house.She began screaming and people came out of their houses to help her.

The victim's friend arrived and described her as "crying and sobbing" before being physically sick.

Everett continued trying to speak to her until the friend pushed him away and he caught her in the throat.

The victim's friend was left with injuries to her arms and wrist which became swollen.

Everett was arrested the next day and denied the offences. He later pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault by beating.

Tim Evans, mitigating, said his client expressed remorse and apologised to the victim.

He said Everett "lost control" for a short period of time and had served the equivalent of a 14-month sentence while on remand in custody.

Everett was jailed for two years and one month. He was also made subject to a restraining order for five years.

Sentencing, Recorder Neil Owen-Casey said: "What you have done was controlling behaviour designed to make her subordinate to do what you wanted and deprived her of the means to resist what you were doing and escape from your bedroom.

"You caused distress and fear to an innocent and vulnerable person when you had absolutely no business in doing so. She said she was scared and vulnerable."

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