A PENARTH pub landlord who attacked his former partner and held her prisoner while disguised in a Halloween mask has been jailed at Cardiff Crown Court.

Mark Peers, who ran the town centre St Fagan’s Castle Pub, was sentenced to two years and eight months on Friday (May 7), after admitting attacking Linda Harper at her Albert Crescent home on September 27 last year.

Recorder of Cardiff, Nicholas Cooke QC told the 44-year-old, of Heol Las, North Cornelly, Bridgend, he would serve two years for a charge of false imprisonment and eight months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, minus the 141 days he has already spent in custody.

The court heard Peers, whose face was disguised by the mask, tried to put a plastic bag in Ms Harper’s mouth to stop her screaming after he gained entry to her flat. She had no idea it was Peers until she caught sight of his shoes. A gas explosion at the St Fagan’s Castle pub in January last year left Peers in a critical condition. He remained in a coma for five weeks and his defence argued his mental state had been affected by his ordeal.

Defending, David Webster said Peers’ actions had been influenced by his fear that he would lose her in combination with the psychological stress of his ordeal, his medication, and a small amount of alcohol But Ms Harper, in her victim impact statement read out in court by prosecutor Hilary Roberts, revealed the subsequent attack, in which she suffered scratches and damage to her ribs and had her hair pulled out, had left her traumatised.

"Since the attack I feel I am a prisoner myself," the statement read.

"The fear of someone jumping out on me has taken over my life.

"I don’t know when I am going to get my life back, if ever.

"I know it was all prepared which sickens me."

Sentencing Peers, who had denied an earlier charge of attempted murder which was subsequently dropped, Recorder Nicholas Cooke QC said: "The effects of your actions have been significant and they will be long lasting."

Peers will serve half his sentence before being released on licence.

Peers, who has no previous convictions, was also issued with an indefinite restraining order, preventing him from contacting Ms Harper.