A WELL-KNOWN businessman from Tiers Cross has been found guilty of common assault against his former partner.

Philip Stoddart, of Oakley house, had been bailed by Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on November 19 after pleading not guilty to a charge of assault. The company owner, who runs Stoddart Tyres, will be sentenced on February 11.

At a trial at Haverfordwest court on Wednesday (Jan 21) the prosecution outlined the case. For the CPS, Vaughan Pritchard Jones said: “Mr. Stoddart’s partner was at his house with the children. There was an argument about child support and she left with them. There is no dispute that a cordless telephone came into contact with her head which caused a lump, and there were lines on her face consistent with the ridges of the phone. The prosecution says that the defendant was in a temper and struck her with the phone.”

“He says that he was going to make a phone call and said that she wanted to stop him so she grabbed hold of the phone and yanked it from him and the force of that caused her to hit herself in the face with the phone.

But Stoddart maintained his innocence, saying he had not hit is ex. On the stand he said: “I was waving the phone around so she could take the phone off me. She managed to grab onto the phone and I let go of it, and this caused her to be hit on the side of the head.”

But the magistrates did not accept his explanation. The chairwoman of the bench said at the end of the trial: “We find the case against Phil Stoddart proved, mainly because of the credibility of the main witness. We are satisfied that her version of events are the correct one.”

Stoddart was released on bail with the conditions that he does not contact his ex, except via a solicitor, or enter her street.

Just before Christmas, the 48-year-old was held by police and appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court for an alleged offence under the Bail Act 1976.

Philip Stoddart, of Oakley house, had been bailed by Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on November 19 after pleading not guilty to a charge of assault. The  company owner, who runs Stoddart Tyres,  is due to appear at his trial later this month.

However, after police received information that the director had breached his bail, he was arrested on December 20. Llanelli Magistrates’ Court remanded Stoddart into custody. He then appeared on December 23 at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court via video link from prison.

At the second hearing, the bench agreed to release Stoddart in time for Christmas; but only if he adhered to strict bail conditions. The conditions are that he wears an electronic tag, is subject to a curfew between 8pm and 6am daily, does not contact a witness in the case, does not enter a particular area of Haverfordwest, and that he resided at Talbenny Hall Farm, Pembrokeshire.