A police officer lived in silence while her abusive husband physically attacked and strangled her while she was holding their baby. The woman believed her career could be affected if she reported the matter to her employers.

Nathan Phillips, 34, of Barry, was in a relationship with the victim for seven years and they had a child together but the relationship deteriorated to the point where the defendant was violent towards her as well as verbally abusive and threatening. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court was told this amounted to “controlling and coercive behaviour”.