by A “sad bully” told his partner he worked out it would only take four and a half minutes to kill her and her daughters, a court has heard. Vincent Brownson also told the terrified woman he would first slit the girls throat while she watched before turning the knife on her because he wanted her to “suffer”.
Swansea Crown Court heard that the incident was part of a pattern of physically and emotionally abusive behavior the defendant subjected his partner to during the relationship. In an impact statement Brownson’s partner said everyone’s life was controlled by the defendant and his dependence on alcohol.
James Hartson, prosecuting, said that although the defendant pleaded guilty to three offenses on three separate dates the case was brought on the basis that there was “frequent use of violence” in the relationship. He said for significant periods of the pair’s time together Brownson “physically and verbally abused” his partner – although he said there were also periods when that was not the case – and Brownson was unpleasant and aggressive towards the women.
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Counsel said during the Covid pandemic the defendant’s alcohol consumption and his levels of aggression increased. He once said that Brownson told his partner that he had worked out that it would take him four and a half minutes to kill her children, saying that he would first slit the children’s throats and watch her so that she would ” suffering” before. he then killed her.
Counsel gave details of the three attacks before the court. He said the first person involved was Brownson throwing a shoe at the woman – who was huddled under a blanket to keep warm at the time as the defendant would not allow the heat to be put on him as he said he did the too much noise – before he grabbed her and took her to the floor and kicked her in the ribs causing instant pain. The court heard the woman did not go to hospital at the time but X-rays later showed she had sustained broken ribs. The second attack saw Brownson put a pillow over his partner’s face and punch her repeatedly. In the third attack the defendant came up behind the defendant while she was sitting on the sofa and put a tea towel around her neck and pulled it tight telling her “that’s as fast as it would be it”.
The court heard that the woman ran away from the house in March this year and called the police. The defendant was arrested early on March 29 and in his subsequent interview he gave “mixed answers” to questions answering “without comment” to some, denying some allegations, saying that some things – like the killing of children – “taken out. of context”, and saying he could not remember some events. He also claimed that his partner sometimes assaulted him.
In an impact statement read by the ex-partner to the court via video link from a remote location, she could not understand how she had suffered for so long. She described how the defendant’s constant criticism of everything she did – from the way she peeled potatoes to the way she made a cup of tea – annoyed her, how Brownson would sabotage family celebrations, and how he would control the family finances and give priority to spending money. on alcohol. She described how her partner’s drinking meant he slept a lot of the time and how she had to keep quiet in the house in case he made a noise and she woke him up – she said she couldn’t she did things like the cleaning or the laundry, and even things like getting a snack or going to the toilet were like “running the gauntlet” knowing that “retributions” would result in waking up her partner. The woman described how the relationship with Brownson was “manipulative” and described how he would treat her personal belongings out of spite, make threats or assault her. her, how she had to quit her job, and how he would effectively cut off her phone by not paying the bill because the contract was in his name. She said: “Our whole life was controlled by Vince and his alcohol dependency.” She also said that she was forced to feel incapable of anything and that leaving Brownson seemed insurmountable but she did it, and she now knows that she is talented, intelligent and resourceful.
Vincent Brownson, aged 46, of Hill Street, Mount Pleasant, Swansea, previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, willful strangulation and suffocation when he arrived in the dock for sentencing. He has a previous conviction for common assault in relation to the same partner, as well as a motoring conviction.
David Singh, for Brownson, said the pre-sentence report before the court detailed the defendant’s “difficult background” – which he said he would not go into in open court – and his alcohol dependency, an issue he was accepting steps to address it now. He said the defendant recognized the “horrific nature” of his behavior and said probation could work with him to give him the skills he needs to try to ensure this type of conviction does not happen again before the court. Counsel said in such cases his submissions would only go as far as the custodial term but said Brownson had spent six months in prison on remand – the equivalent of a 12-month sentence – and given the work he had recognised. the probation. as is necessary to do with his client he would invite the court to consider an entire suspended sentence and then to suspend it.
Judge Geraint Walters said Brownson had engaged in “sadistic bullying and terrorizing behavior” towards his partner, and described it as one of the most disturbing cases of domestic violence he had heard in recent times. He said he had been invited to impose a suspended sentence in the case but said that even if the sentence due had been a sentence that could have been suspended – that is, one year of two years less – he happy that the conviction was not so serious but immediate. custody was appropriate. Brownson was sentenced to 30 months in prison and made subject to a lifetime restraining order barring him from contacting his ex.
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