Stalker who beat ex while she was bridesmaid at sister's wedding spared jail

A man who attacked his girlfriend on her sister's wedding day has been spared jail after he repeatedly breached a restraining order.

Aaron Williams, 29, was handed the order after he was convicted of beating his ex-partner Jessica Gittings, 28, after she had been a bridesmaid at her sister's wedding.

Williams was found guilty in June 2020 of carrying out the 90-minute attack at Ms Gittings' mother's home in Aberbargoed, South Wales, on 23 March 2019.

She had been maid of honour at her sister's wedding earlier that day, and Williams had accused her of flirting with other men.

He was sentenced at the time to a 21-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and given a restraining order.

However, despite the order, he stalked Ms Gittings, calling her from an unknown number using a fake accent and sitting across from her on a train, Newport Crown Court heard.

Williams, from Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to four counts of a breach of a restraining order and breaching a suspended sentence.

On this occasion, he was given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Tabitha Walker, representing Williams, said he is a new father and a "breadwinner" for his family.

The judge, Recorder Andrew Hammond, told Williams he would spare him jail because “there is still some prospect of rehabilitation”.

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Williams must attend 30 sessions of a “Building Better Relationships” programme and complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Ms Gittings was still wearing her bridesmaid dress when jealous Williams attacked her at her mother's home after they returned from the wedding reception.

He left her with a footprint on her face and cuts and bruises across her body.

Williams then tried to bring her away from the house in a taxi so her family would not see the injuries.

He was convicted of actual bodily harm and given a suspended prison sentence and restraining order in June 2020.

But the court heard he repeatedly breached the order and had previously been given another suspended sentence for not abiding by it.

Prosecutor Marian Lewis said Williams would phone Jessica from an unknown number and put on a Liverpudlian accent in nuisance calls in October last year.

Ms Lewis said: "She heard heavy breathing followed by a male voice saying hello and she recognised that voice as being the defendant.

"That made her, frankly, anxious and he said, ‘Are you home alone? Are you on your own?’"

Ms Lewis said Jessica suffered a panic attack before Williams called again, and there was a third call a few days after that.

Newport Crown Court heard Williams also sat opposite Ms Gittings on a train when he was banned from approaching her as part of the order.

Ms Gittings had previously described how he attacked her on her sister's wedding day.

She said: "I felt it before I saw it. Aaron stamped on my face with his shoe. He was still wearing the brown formal wedding shoes he'd bought.

"I begged him to please stop but Aaron didn't stop. He began kicking me in the hips. I'd had lots of operations as a kid because I'd dislocated them and he knew I was fragile.

"Then he stamped on my face again and with the force my tooth chipped off. He slapped me so hard that he left a hand print on my ribs.

"He was demonic. There was no reasoning with him."