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Abusive boyfriend jailed after treating partner as a 'slave' and locking her in a cupboard

Shane Bowen was jailed after abusing his girlfriend, including attacking her and keeping her prisoner in a cupboard. (Reach/PA)
Shane Bowen was jailed after abusing his girlfriend, including attacking her and keeping her prisoner in a cupboard. (Reach/PA)

An abusive man who made his partner’s life a “complete misery”, regularly attacking her and even keeping her prisoner in a cupboard, has been jailed.

Shane Bowen regularly assaulted the woman, throttling and headbutting her, as well as controlling her money and accusing her of cheating on him.

Swansea Crown Court heard that while their relationship had started well, after around six months it deteriorated into a coercive and violent one, with the woman later saying she felt like a “slave”.

Bowen would not let her have her own mobile phone, the court heard, and would withdraw her benefit money from the bank at the start of every month and make her ask for handouts.

He also banned her from seeing family and friends, insisted they ate the same food and controlled her access to birth control measures.

Shane Bowen
Shane Bowen regularly assaulted his partner and on one occasion locked her in a cupboard. (Reach/South Wales Police)

Ian Wright, prosecuting, said Bowen subjected his partner to regular assaults, either headbutting her in the face – often in front of other people – dragging her around by the hair, or throttling her.

On one occasion he lost his temper when she ordered a Chinese takeaway from the “wrong” restaurant, throwing it around the room and slamming her head into a wall before making her clear the mess up and drive them both to a different restaurant.

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On another occasion, police called to the couple’s property in Cadoxton, Wales, found the woman locked in a cupboard, despite Bowen denying she was at home.

However, when witnesses contacted police, the woman refused to co-operate, the court heard.

A general view of Swansea Crown Court Guildhall in Swansea, Wales.
Bowen was jailed at Swansea Crown Court. (PA)

Bowen, formerly of Parc Newydd, Briton Ferry, but now of Elgin Street, Manselton, Swansea, previously pleaded guilty to coercive or controlling behaviour and to false imprisonment.

The court heard that in March this year he was jailed for 12 weeks by magistrates for assaulting his partner at the Pink Geranium bar in Pontardawe – an incident that saw him armed with a police-style baton.

He was released halfway through his sentence and went straight to her house “in a temper”, accusing her of sleeping around, the court heard.

In July he was made the subject of a domestic violence protection order that he repeatedly breached, leading to him being sent back to prison for 28 days in August.

He also has previous convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery, public order matters and three batteries, two relating to domestic violence.

Recorder Christopher Clee QC said the impact of what Bowen had done could be gauged from a witness statement given to police in which the woman said she was “like a slave”, and he told the defendant he had made her life a “complete misery”.

Given a 25% discount for his guilty pleas, Bowen was sentenced to two years in prison. He will serve up to half of that in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting his ex for the next five years.

Jon Tarrant, representing Bowen, told the court the defendant realised he had to tackle his anger and temper issues.

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