A delusional wannabe "gangster" with "small man syndrome" strangled his ex-girlfriend in front of her two-year-old daughter during a vile rage.

Jack Brenan was mocked by the judge at his sentencing at Swansea Crown Court today after being called an "arrogant young man" and an "adolescent bully" for throttling his former partner.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling told the court how the victim had started dating him in February 2023, and ended the relationship less than a year later. She blamed "infidelity and jealous behaviour" for their split.

The incident on January 30 happened when Brenan, 26, became enraged after finding her old dating profile on Tinder. He immediately raced around to her property, let himself in, and started shouting threats as he climbed the stairs towards the victim, who was on the phone with her brother at the time.

Mr Pulling said: "Using what she described as a tight grip, he grabbed her by the throat and pushed his face into hers, calling her a 'f***ing s**g' through gritted teeth and pushing her into the bathroom by her throat, causing her to fall on the floor.

"He began to throw money at her and told her to buy a new camera, in reference to a Ring doorbell that had been damaged previously. She managed to get up and tried to push him out. Her two-year-old daughter was present on the landing and crying as she could see what was happening. The victim put the child in a bedroom but the defendant then kicked the baby gate at the door, causing further distress."

Brenan then left the scene and shortly afterwards the victim's brother, who had heard the attack unfold over the phone, arrived at the address to find his sister and niece in severe distress. There were red strangulation marks on the victim's neck, reports Wales Online.

This did not mark the end of Brenan's abuse. Over the following weeks, he bombarded his ex with calls and messages, threatening to "get a couple of boys down there" and have a brick put through her window. He was arrested on February 17 and issued with a domestic violence protection notice barring him from contacting the victim. He ignored this and sent abusive messages threatening to upload videos of the victim online and "burn the street down". Brenan threatened to go to her mother's house, adding: "F*** everyone's house, your neighbour's having it, and your mother." He warned her against being a "grass", telling her "I know where everyone lives" and that if he was arrested he would "take it out" on her family.

Brenan was charged with intentional strangulation, witness intimidation, coercive and controlling behaviour, and criminal damage. The last two charges were dropped, which led to a mistake by the prison where Brenan had been remanded. Believing all charges had been dropped, the prison released Brenan. After he was informed of the error and told to surrender, Brenan refused and instead went on holiday in the West Country. He was eventually arrested at a service station in the area.

Brenan, of Railway Place in Llanelli, admitted strangulation, witness intimidation and breaching bail. He had 41 previous offences on his record including many driving offences, as well as battery and criminal damage against a former partner in 2019. In that incident he put a knife in her living room door and slashed her mattress and shower curtain as well as threatening to slit her throat.

"He thinks he's something of a gangster, doesn't he, as if we should be scared of him," remarked Judge Geraint Walters. "He's not, obviously, a gangster, but he thinks he is. It's childish. He says things like, 'I'm going to burn the whole street.' He's never complied with a court order in his life. He thinks he's above all of that."

Brenan's barrister David Singh admitted his client had an "appalling" record. The judge continued: "I don't think he's complied with anything, ever. He abuses motor vehicles, which is no doubt part of the flash image he has, and he beats up women." Mr Singh then mentioned that Brenan had a new girlfriend who was in court to support him.

Judge Walters replied: "Well, I don't know how many partners he's had but he's certainly beaten up two. There are not many men who take pleasure in that. It takes a certain kind of man. Usually what I call small man syndrome. The only thing that makes him feel big is being flash and violent."

Mr Singh said the strangulation was "an instinctive holding of the throat" and was "not prolonged". He added that Brenan owns four shops where he employs 10 people and has been trying to continue running the businesses from custody. "There is a different side to this defendant," Mr Singh told the court. "He's at a crossroads where he needs to mature, grow up and put this offending behind him."

Judge Walters told Brenan: "You honestly do think you're something of a gangster. An arrogant young man who has an opinion of himself far above that which is justified. You need to come down a peg or two and start behaving like a man, not an adolescent bully. You were released wrongly by the prison, and when told to surrender you booked a holiday. It is the height of arrogance." He added that Brenan was "hardly a catch to any woman". The judge imposed a two-year jail term and a 10-year order restraining him from contact with the victim.