A MAN from Kinmel Bay who drunkenly grabbed his wife by the throat and pushed her into a hedge in Prestatyn has been spared jail.

Craig Hughes, 39, of Holywell Crescent, was today (October 18) sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year-and-a-half, at Caernarfon Crown Court (sitting at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court).

He had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

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Prosecuting, Richard Edwards told the court that, on August 2, Hughes and his family had been at a pub in Prestatyn, before ordering food to take home with them.

While waiting for his food, he became “increasingly agitated”, which his wife of 15 years, Jenny Hughes, said would “often be a consequence of his drinking alcohol”.

Then, while walking home, a dispute with Mrs Hughes resulted in him “grabbing” her around the throat with both of his hands, before pushing her into a bush, on Ffordd Pendyffryn.

Mrs Hughes, who has two children with her husband, said she “didn’t know what went wrong”, and described his face as being “scrunched up with anger”.

She was left with bruising as a result, and felt “scared to get up immediately afterwards”, because she could hear Hughes “muttering things” about her.

Police were contacted, and when officers arrived at Hughes’ home, he held out his hands and told them he had assaulted his wife, because he “just snapped”.

Mrs Hughes added that she felt “ashamed and embarrassed” by the incident, which also affected her sleeping and eating.

Defending Hughes, who had two previous convictions for five offences, Sarah Yates said it was he who had called police before he “made admissions”

Hughes, who had not been convicted since December 2021, is “remorseful” and “ashamed”, and accepts that his marriage has ended.

He was said to be in full-time employment, and have a “strong work ethic”, meanwhile.

Sentencing, Judge Timothy Petts told Hughes: “Clearly, whatever she said wasn’t justification or excuse for what you did.

“Clearly, this was a very upsetting time for all three other members of your family.”

Hughes will abide by an electronically monitored tag, preventing him from leaving his home between 8pm and 5am, for three months.

He will also be subject to a 120-day period of monitored alcohol abstinence, and will complete 10 days’ rehabilitation activity, and a 35-session programme.

A five-year restraining order was also issued, preventing him from contacting Mrs Hughes, save for via a third party regarding child contact.