**Man Breaks into Former Partner’s Home and Threatens Her Life in Chilling Llanelli Incident**
A Llanelli man was handed a suspended prison sentence after a terrifying ordeal in which he broke into his former partner’s home and threatened her with a screwdriver. Swansea Crown Court heard that Ashley James Edwards, 36, subjected his ex-partner to an intense campaign of harassment and violence, all fuelled by jealousy and cocaine misuse.
The shocking episode occurred in the early hours of 23 April 2025 when Edwards, without invitation, entered the woman’s property by climbing through a window. According to the prosecution, led by Samuel Jenkins, Edwards immediately began shouting abuse at the woman, accusing her of infidelity. He then armed himself with a screwdriver, pinned her to the sofa, and pressed the tool to her neck—a moment his victim described as life-shattering.
“She was left fearing for her life,” revealed the court, citing the victim’s written account. During the attack, when the woman mentioned her young daughter upstairs, Edwards showed a chilling lack of remorse, stating, “I don’t give a f***.” After she managed to break free from his grasp, Edwards left the house, but the ordeal was far from over.
Over the subsequent days, the victim was bombarded with approximately 250 texts and calls by Edwards, many of which were sent from withheld numbers. These communications ranged from abusive to downright threatening, including direct threats to kill her. In one particularly harrowing exchange, Edwards wrote, “I have a blade and I’m coming for you,” and he sent a photograph seemingly taken from her own back garden to reinforce his threats.
The court learnt that the matter was reported to police in short order, resulting in Edwards’ arrest on 27 April. Initially, he hesitated to hand over his mobile phone, claiming to have disposed of it, but later revealed its hiding place to officers after prompting from his then partner. During his police interview, Edwards attempted to play down the seriousness of the incident. He claimed he had only entered the property because he saw an open window, denied threatening his ex with the screwdriver, and dismissed the menacing messages as “banter” and nothing more than a joke.
The woman’s victim impact statement painted a harrowing picture of life with Edwards. She described feeling constantly on edge during his residency, burdened by what she called “relentless abuse and cocaine use.” Since the attack, both she and her daughter have suffered long-lasting psychological effects, with the woman expressing that she no longer feels secure in her own home. Nevertheless, she expressed the hope that Edwards would come to understand the grave consequences of his actions.
Defence barrister Ryan Bowen described how Edwards’ life had been derailed by drug addiction, despite previously maintaining stable employment at Tata Steel and nurturing a passion for performing arts. Edwards, who has struggled with cocaine dependence since the age of 17 and suffers from anxiety and depression, has reportedly found the period on remand sobering and has expressed remorse for his behaviour.
The presiding judge, Huw Rees, highlighted that Edwards had a previous conviction involving the stalking and harassment of another former girlfriend in 2019. Judge Rees lamented that Edwards, who is also a father, had not considered his responsibilities to his child and condemned the “petty jealousy” that led to his offences. He also warned Edwards that cocaine poses nothing but harm to his future and urged him to make positive life changes.
Taking into account Edwards’ guilty plea to stalking involving fear of violence, the court imposed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Conditions of his sentence include participation in a rehabilitation programme, a “building choices” course, and 150 hours of unpaid community work.
In passing sentence, Judge Rees offered a poignant reminder: “Concentrate on being a father; give up cocaine; treat women properly.” The ruling brings closure to a distressing case that has left a mark on a young family, and serves as a warning on the wider dangers of jealous obsession and substance abuse.