A Pembrokeshire father strangled his wife during an argument to the point where she feared that he would take her life.

Ben Hilton, 31, of Robert Street in Milford Haven, carried out the savage attack on his wife in the bedroom of the family home.

Swansea Crown Court heard that on June 28 this year the couple had been arguing and that Hilton had been verbally abusive towards his wife.

The couple were in their bedroom when his wife said that she would contact the police to report abuse.

On hearing this Hilton grabbed her before pushing down on her throat with such force that she believed she was going to die.

As she struggled to push him off, Hilton picked up a wine bottle and pushed it into her cheek, again with such force that if affected her breathing.

The disturbance was heard by others, which led to police being called to the property.

Officers found his victim distressed and with visible injuries to her face, swelling and bruising. She said that she had been strangled by her husband.

On arrest Hilton became aggressive with police officers. He swore at them and also spat at and kicked an officer.

His wife was left with a sore neck, cut lip, swollen mouth and difficulty swallowing. In a victim personal statement she said that she had trouble sleeping and felt very frightened. She could hear Hilton’s voice screaming at her and would replay the incident in her head.

The court heard that Hilton had convictions for battery in 2013 and 2019, for obstructing a police officer in 2021 and more recently failing to comply with a community order and offending while a suspended sentence was in force.

In his defence it was said that Hilton had been impacted by violence in his childhood and suffered with his mental health. However, he was taking the opportunity while in prison to change his behaviour and he understood the effect that it had had.

The court heard that before the June 28 assault there had been an unrelated incident in a pub where Hilton had got into an argument with a former colleague who he owed money.

After this, Hilton took a silver Stanley knife out of his pocket and slashed the driver’s side rear tyre of the other man’s vehicle.

He was sentenced for this as well as the assault on his wife.

“This was a savage attack on your wife which left her thinking that you were going to kill her,” said Judge His Honour PH Thomas KC.

“You grabbed her by the throat with force and pressed a bottle into her cheek. She didn’t know how far you were going to go but I’m sure she knew she was powerless to stop you.”

He added that he "didn’t want to think about what might have happened" had a call for help not been made.

“When the police arrived your uncontrolled anger continued,” said Judge Thomas. “You kicked a police officer and spat at him.

“Before this you took a knife to the pub and produced it during an altercation over fees. You went out to the car park and in a petty and spiteful act slashed tyres.”

Judge Thomas sentenced Hilton to two years in prison; 18 months for intentional strangulation with two months concurrent for assaulting an emergency worker as well as six months consecutive for possessing a bladed article in a public place with one month concurrent for criminal damage.