A MAN accused of assaulting, strangling and controlling his partner has also been charged with trying to get her to withdraw her statement to the police.

Liam Brian, 29, of Owen Street in Pennar, appeared at Swansea Crown Court charged with four offences.

Brian was alleged to have assaulted and strangled a woman in Merlin’s Bridge on August 11 last year.

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He was also charged with engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour against the same complainant between January 2023 and January this year.

It was alleged that he prevented the woman from seeing family members, stopped her from having a bank card or house keys, prevented her from showering before work, decided what clothes she could wear, controlled her contact with male colleagues, as well as assaulting and strangling her.

He also faced a charge of committing an act with the intent of perverting the course of public justice. It was alleged that he pressured the same complainant to attempt to get her to withdraw her witness statement on January 24.

He pleaded not guilty to each offence.

Dean Pulling, defending, said that he had not had the opportunity to have a full conference with his client – who is in custody – to discuss the allegations before the hearing on Monday morning. He said the charges had only been uploaded at “effectively close of play on Friday”.

Judge Geraint Walters adjourned the case to allow for the defence to speak with Brian about the charges “because the Crown Prosecution Service had not filed their indictment in time”.  

He will return to court on May 17 where any changes to the pleas will be confirmed.

Either a trial or a sentencing date will be set at the next hearing, depending on the pleas entered by Brian.