Man who beat his partner and forced her to eat photos of dead relatives returns to prison six months after being released
A judge has sent a man, whom he termed the "worst domestic abuser" he had ever seen, back to prison just six months after his release.
In 2013, Craig Thomas, 38, was jailed after he repeatedly abused his then partner Charlotte Rooks while holding her hostage in his Cardiff apartment, Daily Mail reports.
Thomas, who beat her with hammers, made her sleep naked standing up, and forced her to eat pictures of deceased loved ones, was given a 10-year prison sentence at the time for his crimes. However, he was granted parole last summer after serving five years of his sentence.
Though the Ministry of Justice confirmed that Thomas has been recalled to prison in January for breaching his license, it is yet to be confirmed what exactly he did to merit being locked up.
"Craig Thomas was recalled to prison on 26 January 2019 for breach of his license conditions," a prison service spokesman said.
According to reports, Thomas' violent behavior started when Rooks discovered that she was pregnant with his child in 2013.
"Things started to happen. He would stay over and say to me that I had to sleep standing up - then if I was falling asleep he would throw stuff at me," she said. "When my foster mum died he made me eat her pictures. I was given a ring that was something sentimental that been left to me and he made me eat that as well.
She continued, "Numerous times when I was living in my house he would hit me in the stomach with the metal part of the Hoover while I was pregnant. There was glass from a picture frame where he cut the back of my head. Sometimes we would be in the car and he would just repeatedly punch me in the side of the face."
According to her, she initially didn't leave her abusive partner fearing for her loved ones. "This was weeks into the relationship but he kept on threatening to do stuff to my family and my son," she recalled. "He used to make me spend all night standing up naked."
However, the embattled mother has now called for the reasons behind his recall to be made public, especially after she still suffers from a series of health problems and PTSD following Thomas' relentless abuse.
"I have been aware since January this year that Craig Thomas had been recalled to prison," she said.
"Knowing his prolific history of violent offending I am not surprised that this has happened, only that it has taken this long for him to be caught. The law dictates that I am not allowed to know what Thomas has or has not done which, has resulted in his recall. I believe it is in the public interest that myself, other victims, potential victims, and the general public are kept fully informed of the whereabouts of such a dangerous and remorseless criminal."
Having said that, a spokeswoman for the Parole Board has informed they are still reviewing his case.
"We can confirm the parole review of Craig Thomas has been referred to the Parole Board and is following standard processes," she said. "The job of the Parole Board is to determine if someone would represent a significant risk to the public after release. The panel will carefully look at a whole range of evidence, including details of the original evidence and any evidence of behavior change. We do that with great care and public safety is our number one priority."