A man who refused to let his vulnerable victim leave his home before strangling her and threatening to end her life has been sent to prison.

Ashley Roche prevented his vulnerable teenage victim from leaving his home, standing in the front doorway and blocking her path, after accusing her of being unfaithful.

The girl, who has Aspergers syndrome, was so desperate to pacify Roche, who she had been in a two-week relationship with, that she handed him her mobile phone and told him to ring anybody on it, they would tell him that she was not cheating.

She said again that she wanted to leave and again Roche, 25, prevented her from doing so, pushing her and shouting that he wanted to know the truth.

He then grabbed her by the neck and threw her back onto a bed, causing her to hit her head on the wall. She tried to get up and he pushed her again before picking up the bed frame that was underneath her, causing her to hit her head and fall to the floor.

Roche, of Parc Y Cefn, Fishguard, then straddled the girl and put both hands around her neck, telling her he was going to kill her.

He strangled her and she was struggling to breathe, she felt like she was going to stop breathing and felt her eyes shut.

When she opened them Roche’s hands were still around her throat. She managed to tell him that she needed the bathroom.

Western Telegraph: Parc y Cefn, Fishguard. Parc y Cefn, Fishguard. (Image: Google Street View)

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Roche said that she would have to wet herself. She begged again and he let her go to the bathroom but went with her.

At some point during the incident a neighbour had heard Roche’s victim screams and had heard banging. He rang the defendant’s family.

Roche’s brother came to the property and spoke to him while his victim was in the bedroom. She then told Roche again that she wanted to go and if she did not return home people would start looking for her and the police might be called.

He allowed her to leave but insisted on accompanying her home. On the way he was crying and saying that he was going to kill himself.

The next day the teen contacted family members saying that she was frightened and did not know what to do. Roche handed himself into Haverfordwest Police Station on September 18 last year, two days after the incident.

Her Honour Judge Catherine Richards KC saw photos of the victim’s injuries, which included significant bruising to the face, eye, throat and arms and scratches to her throat and shoulder.

In a statement she said that was having difficulty sleeping, flashbacks, and that her self esteem had been negatively affected. She struggled to go out and panicked that she would see Roche or his family.

Roche initially denied three charges of intentional strangulation, assault causing actual bodily harm and making threats to kill. He changed his plea to guilty last month.

Jon Tarrant, defending, said that Roche was isolated and suffered from anxiety and depression. His family had, in the past, tried to get him sectioned.

He said that there had been no problems in previous relationships but that at the time of the assault Roche had increased his drug use.

He said that his client had now been clean for five months and sincerely apologised to his victim.

Judge Catherine Richards said that the incident had had a substantial impact on the victim and had caused her serious psychological harm.

“You prevented her from leaving your home, you threw her twice causing her to injure her head. When she was on the floor, unable to defend herself, you strangled her causing her to be unable to breathe. You saw that and you did not stop.

“It was a terrifying experience when the victim was powerless and at the mercy of the defendant.

“You threatened to kill her while you literally had her life in your hands.”

Judge Richards sentenced Roche to a total of 25 months in prison. He will serve half of this before being released on licence. She said that the licence period would provide Roche with an opportunity to address his issues.

She also imposed a three-year restraining order.

Western Telegraph: Ashley Roche.Ashley Roche. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

Dyfed-Powys Police Detective Constable Kelly Morris said after the sentencing:

“This was a particularly sustained and vicious assault that did not just leave the victim with only physical bruising, she was put through a significant level of trauma at the hands of Roche.

“We are pleased with this sentence and we hope it gives her some solace and allows her to begin to move on with her life.

“We are dedicated to perusing perpetrators of domestic abuse in line with the force’s priority of eliminating domestic abuse. 

“Violence against women, girls or anyone will not be tolerated by Heddlu Dyfed Powys Police.” 

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