A MAN who claimed he tried to "drown the demons out" of his girlfriend by pushing her head into a sink full of water after claiming she was "possessed" has been sentenced.

Max Brock, aged 21 and of Pengwladys Avenue in Connah's Quay, appeared at Mold Crown Court via video link from prison on Wednesday (July 26).

The defendant had previously admitted offences of affray, criminal damage and assault at previous hearings and was to be sentenced.

Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, told the court that the defendant had been in a relationship with victim Victoria Schofield since October 2022 when they went to the Beaufort Park Hotel in New Brighton, near Mold, on December 15 last year.

Ms Schofield reported the defendant was in a "paranoid state" when they arrived that afternoon, but she'd managed these before so it didn't overly concern her.

They went to bed at around midnight, but then the defendant began to tell her she was "possessed."

Concerned he was "going to turn," she got up and went to the bathroom.

Brock ran a sink full of water, to the point where it began to overflow, and splashed water on the victim's face while saying "biblical" phrases.

He then pushed her head into the sink and held her under long enough to make her "splutter", more than once. She also chipped her tooth against the sink.

The court heard that she felt she was going to die.

Ms Schofield believes he then punched her to the back of the head and called her "evil" in a strange voice that sounded like a "gospel preacher". Brock said he needed to "cleanse her sins" before putting his fingers in her eyes, throwing her down and biting her on the hand.

The attack lasted around 45 minutes in total.

Hotel staff came and restrained the defendant after Ms Schofield cried out for help, and when police arrived he was completely incoherent.

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CCTV played to the court showed Brock damaging perspex glass to the value of £1,100. A chair was also damaged and the room the couple was in was left "bloodstained".

The victim initially made a statement to police explaining the incident had caused her to break down and become nervous and paranoid, but that she still loved the defendant.

She later retracted support for a prosecution and didn't want a restraining order to be imposed.

Robin Boag, defending, told the court the result of a psychiatric report reveals that Brock has ADHD, asperges and substance misuse issues. Mr Boag said his client had been in custody since December and that he had found jail difficult.

He told the Judge that the defendant could be given a suspended sentence with conditions of probation monitoring - adding that custody had not helped Brock's mental state.

Recorder John Philpotts sentenced Brock to a 14-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years. 

Brock will also have to complete 40 sessions of drug rehabilitation activity.