A TEIFI man who a judge told to ‘grow up’ in some Christmas advice will be freed despite being sent to prison.

Sean O’Neil, 26, of Teifi Terrace, St Dogmaels, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on December 22 where he admitted assault and harassment.

O’Neil was charged with a count of assault by beating on his former partner.

The court heard how O’Neil and his partner had argued at the end of October after their baby daughter woke and needed to be fed. O’Neil attacked her by pushing her into the kitchen and pressing his finger to her lips hard.

He also poked her continuously, which was witnessed by the victim’s older daughter. He then picked up a backpack that was on the floor and pretended to throw it at the victim but didn’t actually throw it. He did, however, pick up a shoe and hit her with it, leaving marks on her.

He then called his mother and told her he had ‘done something he shouldn’t have’ and asked for her to pick him up.

Over the next couple of days, he bombarded her with around 800 messages and calls including one call telling her to hang herself. He continued to send her messages after being arrested for harassment, including immediately after being released on bail.

He also admitted a charge of harassment for the period between November 1 and 23.

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His Honour Judge P. H. Thomas KC told O’Neill, who had previous convictions for battery on a former partner, “your behaviour towards your former partner was disgraceful.”

He stressed how the behaviour had left the victim scared and afraid in her own home with her two children and how one of the messages was “absolutely vile.”

Judge Thomas also said: “Can I offer you some advice for Christmas? Grow up.” And told him if he was in front of the court for any further offences against women, he would face prison.

Sentencing O’Neil to eight-weeks in prison for both counts to run concurrently, he explained how the time on remand in custody would count towards it and he would be freed in the next day or two.

O’Neill was also made the subject of a restraining order to not contact the victim directly or indirectly, and any communication relating to his daughter must be done via a solicitor.