A man who tried to kill a woman he had already attacked three times previously is facing a possible life jail term after being convicted of attempted murder.
At Swansea Crown Court , Keith Michael Hughes, 39, of Hollet Road, Treboeth, Swansea was found guilty unanimously by a jury of attempting to murder his former girlfriend Stacey Gwilym.
The court heard Hughes was jailed for attacking her but when he got out they met up again in July this year and they agreed to marry.
Soon after, Hughes strangled Ms Gwilym leaving her for dead on a well-known coastal path beauty spot overlooking Swansea Bay next to Langland Bay golf course.
However, she woke up and found herself covered in branches, leaves and ferns, as if Hughes had been attempting to cover up her body and the police were called.
Hughes, who has previous convictions for wounding, affray and robbery, pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Gwilym causing her grievous bodily harm but he had denied attempted murder.
Judge has 'life sentence in mind'
Trial Judge Paul Thomas who will sentence Hughes at Swansea Crown Court on Friday said he “had in mind” a life sentence because of Hughes’ long list of serious previous convictions and the harrowing nature of the attack on Ms Gwilym.
During the trial, the court heard Hughes was imprisoned in 2013 for three years and nine months after being convicted of three separate assaults on Ms Gwilym and one of false imprisonment.
Hughes’ explosive temper boiled over during the case, at one point shouting to prosecutor Dyfed Thomas that he would not answer any more “f***ing questions” and demanding to be taken to the cells.
Hughes said while he was in jail Ms Gwilym wrote to him and after his release they resumed their relationship.
On July 15, 2015, he said she agreed to marry him and on July 20 they parked her car near Bracelet Bay, Mumbles, and walked along the coastal path almost as far as Caswell Bay.
He said that on the way back they began to argue with each other, Hughes claiming Ms Gwilym had accused him of stealing money from her.
Giving evidence, he said: “Things became heated. We were both shouting and arguing. I lost my temper. I just wanted her to stop saying things about me.
“We were both saying horrible things to each other. She was hitting me, going mad. I wanted her to calm down.”
'What have I done?'
Hughes said he grabbed her jumper and “my hands moved to her neck” with Ms Gwilym losing consciousness and falling to the ground.
He continued: “I panicked. I thought ‘what have I done?’ I was not intending to kill her. I must have put her in the bushes and put some branches over her.
“I just felt terrible about what I had done. I thought she was dead. I just left.”
Hughes admitted taking the key to her car, her Santander bank card and some of her medication.
He then walked back into Mumbles and drove her car to his home where he downed vodka before crashing the car.
He said: “I can’t remember drinking but I must have because I was drunk when the police arrested me.
“I wish I could turn the clock back. I regret what I did that day.”
Hughes said he could not remember telling the police that she was dead and that he had buried her, or saying “you will never find her.”
Hughes said he had never intended to resume his relationship with Ms Gwilym and had asked her to marry him only “to make her happy.”
See- http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/swansea-man-strangled-fiance-left-10528702
No comments:
Post a Comment