A MAN has been given a suspended sentence after he admitted throwing a brick through the living room window of his ex-partner’s home, despite her children being present at the time.

Liam Ashley Williams, 36, had got a lift from his home in Oakville Avenue in Rhyl, to confront his former partner after she posted comments about him on her Facebook page. Williams arrived at the Flintshire address of his ex under the influence of alcohol after sending her text messages making threats to come and smash her windows. When the victim looked out her window on the evening of Friday, March 20, she saw Williams stood in the garden, holding a brick. Despite telling him not to throw it because her two young children were inside, he ignored her pleas.

Paul Abraham, prosecuting, told Mold Magistrates Court how Williams had been in a relationship with the woman for some time, but that it had all ended the previous week. The woman had been sat in her living room with her two children, the youngest of which was sleeping in a moses basket.

The force of the impact caused the television in the living room to fall off a tv stand and the incident left the elder of the two children shaking in fear.

Mr Abraham went on to say how Williams then proceeded to throw three more stones from the front garden of the property, one of which the woman managed to deflect with her right hand, causing a cut, while one of the others landed closely to the child in the basket. The police were called to the address and when they arrived, they noted the volume of broken glass in the living room and one of them had to pick up the elder child and carry him to safety.

In a victim personal statement, the woman said she was so thankful that neither of her children were hurt.

Mr Abraham added how Williams has a large number of convictions, including causing violence against another person and the breach of a community order, and received a 22 month suspended sentence for assault and battery in January of 2018.

Bethan Jones, defending, asked the court to provide Williams with credit for his early guilty pleas, which included two assault by beating, one of which was against the youngest child, one of common assault against the elder child and one of criminal damage. Ms Jones went on to say how Williams had not actually caused injury to either of the children and she accepted that although this had been due to the grace of God more than anything else, he had not been aware the children were present at the time as stated by the prosecution.

He was told to serve 12 weeks for the assault on both the woman and her eldest child, while he must serve eight weeks for the assault against the youngest, with another two weeks for the criminal damage, with each of those sentences to be served concurrently. However, the 12 week sentence was suspended for a period of two years and Williams was able to walk away form the dock.

Magistrates did impose a two year restraining order against Williams contacting the woman or going to the area in Flintshire where she lives. He must also pay her compensation of £100, £400 compensation for the damage cause to her window and television, as well as pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £102.