Man got drunk while watching Wales v Ireland and started strangling wife, court hears

Jonathan Neale (40) from Newport had been drinking heavily and downed Coors Light beer and Jack Daniel’s whiskey throughout the day, the city’s magistrates’ court was told.

According to a report in the South Wales Argus, he then started strangling his wife after she checked his mobile phone and suspected him of cheating on her.

“The defendant had been watching the rugby with his friends,” Anna Parry, prosecuting, said.

“He asked the victim to pick him up and she went to collect him.

“The defendant was found quite intoxicated and he had fallen asleep at a bus station.

“When they were home, the complainant helped undress him and put him to bed and he went to sleep.

“The victim checked his mobile phone as a result of previous affairs on his part.”

She then woke Neale and told him “we are done” and asked him to leave.

“He put his two hands to her throat area and this made her feel petrified,” the prosecutor added.

“She didn’t think he was going to let go but the complainant managed to bite his finger and he loosened his grip.

“The defendant fled the house and was later arrested by the police.”

Pictures of the woman’s injuries which were shown to the court showed red marks around her throat and neck.

Neale, of Bettws, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to intentionally strangling his wife.

Lynda Rhead, representing Neale, who was emotional during the hearing, said: “He’s not proud of himself.

“The defendant has shown his remorse from the outset.

“He has made full admissions and told of how sorry he was and he entered a guilty plea at the very first opportunity.

“It was clearly a horrible incident that the victim should not have gone through.

“This is somebody who is holding his head in shame.”

But, his lawyer said, the complainant had not needed any medical treatment.

She added that her client was in a “well-paid and respectable job” and his father was in court to support him.

Neale was jailed for 12 months but that prison sentence was suspended for two years.

He was ordered to complete a 29-day rehabilitation activity requirement and told to pay £85 costs and a £187 victim surcharge.

The defendant was made the subject of a two-year restraining order not to contact his wife.