Rhyl man Darren Sproston-Davies stopped his partner wearing make-up or doing her hair because he said he did not like it.

He told her she could only wear skirts in the house or in his company.

A court heard how he would make disparaging remarks about what she was wearing and he expected her to wear trousers.

He would tell her to lose weight, called her offensive names, and when he wanted to go to bed he would insist that she went at the same time – and said she should stay there until he got up.

Sproston-Davies would falsely accused her of sleeping with others including mutual friends.

He decided when she could have hot drinks – he boiled the kettle for the house and he would sometimes pour the remaining water away to prevent her having a hot drink, explained prosecuting barrister Brian Treadwell.

The defendant threatened to harm himself if she ended the relationship.

He also subjected her to violence at her home.

Sproston-Davies, aged 32, of West Parade in Rhyl, was jailed for a year at Mold Crown Court after he admitted a charge of controlling and coercive behaviour, between September of last year and July of this year.

He also admitted three charges of assaulting her in July.

The court heard that despite what had happened, complainant Lisa Roberts had forgiven him, withdrew her complaint, and considered herself to be in a continuing relationship with him.

In fact she said that she believed that he needed help not punishment and did not believe that he had been well served by the medical services at the time.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said that things were fine when he first moved in with the complainant and her three children.

But matters began to take a downward turn when he became “controlling and difficult” with her.

He sought to “isolate her”, preventing her from having contact with family, dictated what she could wear, when she went to bed and when she got up.

It was all against a background of accusing her of seeing other men and threatening what would happen if she ended the relationship.

But his behaviour went further and he resorted to violence on three occasions.

On one occasion he lost his temper, grabbed her by the hair and threw her onto the bed, while on another occasion he assaulted her because she was watching television with the children and not  him.

When she told him to leave he spat at her, threatened her and grabbed her head.

“It amounts to protracted bullying and controlling behaviour,”said Judge Rowlands.

“Not only were you seeking to dominate or control your victim, you were violent towards her.”

Unfortunately, it was not out of character and he had previous convictions including one of kidnapping his foster parents.

The judge said that the victim believed that he needed help and did not believe he had been well served by the medical profession.

“She has forgiven you and views herself as being in a relationship with you,” the judge said, accepting that Sproston-Davies had a number of problems, which were exacerbated over the years by his use of drugs.

But the judge said that he had read that he was no longer taking illicit substances and was resolved to make use of the services available to him. 

Defending barrister Matthew Curtis said Sproston-Davies was sorry for the harm that he had caused.

His client had pleaded guilty at a time when he knew the complainant would not give evidence against him.

She had said the controlling behaviour was not him but that his condition made him paranoid.

He had been diagnosed as suffering from autism and his pattern of behaviour in adulthood included communication difficulties.

His foster parents were in court, and his foster mother had identified a number of services which the defendant was happy to take advantage of.

Mr Curtis said the defendant was at a turning point and wanted assistance.