A RHYL man has been put behind bars after slashing his girlfriend with a knife.

Alexander Roberts, of Water Street, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday for sentence.

The 28-year-old had previously admitted one offence of unlawful wounding.
Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, told the court Roberts met his victim, Charmaine Owen, on a night out in July this year.

They became friends and subsequently had a relationship.

She saw him in a pub playing pool on August 9, but after going home she received a video call from him at around 1.30am.

He was upset and told her he wanted to take his own life.

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Ms Owen went to his flat, where an ambulance was called.

Before it arrived, Roberts took a throwing knife from a drawer and threw it against a wardrobe.

The victim put it back in a drawer, cutting her fingers in the process, but Roberts had a "psychotic look" in his eye and took it out again.

Ms Owen told her she "was not scared" of him, following which he pressed the tip of the blade to her throat and ran it across her skin, leaving a small cut on her neck.

Roberts then leaned over and cut her upper left arm with the knife, leaving a "significant laceration" of around 4.5cm.

Rhyl Journal: Alexander Roberts (North Wales Police)Alexander Roberts (North Wales Police) (Image: NWP)

Ms Downing referred the court to a photo of the injury, in which the blade had "clearly gone through upper skin layers."

After inflicting the injury, Roberts' behaviour changed "drastically" and he called the police.

While he wasn't charged with further offences, he also breached his bail conditions after the incident by going to her residence and causing a disturbance.

The victim said she was worried for the other residents nearby, and that the defendant had "multiple personalities," two of which were "not nice."

She added she simply wanted him to get help, and the court heard she'd attempted to support him through his mental health difficulties during their relationship.

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Matthew Dunford, defending, told the court the circumstances of the offence featured "unusual features" including the defendant himself having called the police.

"He doesn't say it was an accident," Mr Dunford explained, "But he has always maintained there wasn't an intention to do really serious harm.

"It does appear he has suffered with his mental health.

"He has had a number of admissions to the Ablett Unit."

Mr Dunford said his client has never been to court before and the time he has spent on remand, some two months, has been "an extremely challenging and difficult experience" for him.

He asked the court to consider attaching a number of probation interventions to a suspended sentence.

Judge Niclas Parry told Roberts: "There's no doubt you suffer with mental health problems, and that has a bearing on your behaviour.

"And there's equally no doubt you abuse alcohol and drugs.

"It appears you have no intention of addressing those issues - there are and have been people, family, professionals and in particular your victim who have done everything possible to try and help you.

"But you reject that support.

"This poor lady wanted to help you - and has been left with a significant injury caused by you with a weapon."

Judge Parry handed down a 16 month sentence, to be served immediately - explaining the risk Roberts poses cannot be safely managed in the community.