James Thomas, 35, of Ynys Llwyd Street, Aberdare was found guilty in Cardiff Magistrates Court of assaulting his sister in the Mount Pleasant Hotel on the 8th of June last year.
Thomas’s sister Hannah had gone to the pub to collect her brother who became aggressive towards her when she asked him to leave with her.
The court heard how Thomas grabbed her by the neck and carried her by her waist and neck out of the pub, before head-butting her in the nose in what the prosecution called a ‘prolonged assault’. Thomas said he was embarrassed and annoyed at her for asking him to leave in front of his friends.
The victim suffered swelling and soreness as a result of the attack.
Thomas plead guilty to one charge of Assault occasioning Actual Bodily Harm, and received a community order of 18 months, including 160 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to attend rehab and pay the court costs of £85.
Thomas described himself as an eight or nine on the scale of intoxication on the night of the assault, that he was ‘gutted’ about what happened, and it was ‘out of character’ for him. He had always had a good relationship with his sister which had been renewed since the assault. He also said he hadn’t drunk alcohol since that night.
Dave Watkins from Probation told the court that Thomas had been suffering from anxiety and depression since the breakdown of a relationship with his partner of 12 years and the mother of his three children, and had been prescribed anti depressants.
Tariq Sidiq of the defence said Thomas was extremely remorseful and there was nothing to suggest he was a violent person.
In a letter from Thomas’ sister which was quoted in court, Hannah said she didn’t want her brother to go to prison, and believed he needed help.