A “SELFISH bully” who controlled his girlfriend, making her life a “misery” and repeatedly assaulting her, has been jailed.

Claudio Ocean Marc Stroud strangled, hit, and even bit his then-girlfriend, and controlled what she wore, who she could be friends with and her bank accounts.

On one occasion the victim had to send a code word to a friend for her to call the police after he attacked her.

He also told her to 'stop acting like she was a victim', and claimed he was in fact the victim.

Stroud made the woman fear for her life and she “will live with the consequences for some time to come”.

He was jailed for two years and four months at Swindon Crown Court on Wednesday (February 9).

The court heard how the woman had ended her relationship with Stroud, of Tennyson Street, but in July 2021, the defendant asked to meet her.

After initially declining, the victim reconsidered after he said he would “come to her” unless she agreed.

As he was banned from her apartment complex, they stayed at a hotel instead and were “initially having fun”, prosecutor Ravi Sidhu said.

“But his mood had turned and he went on a rampage. He hit her on the head, used a vodka bottle, pressing it against her head.”

He also bit the woman. He apologised, but “told her to stop acting like a victim and said she was responsible for his behaviour”, Mr Sidhu continued.

Stroud, 19 at the time, left the room and the victim sent a code word and her location to a friend, who called the police. The court heard she had to delete the messages because she was afraid he would “interrogate” her phone.

“The defendant returned banging on the door, she let him in and later the police arrived.”

Among the victim’s injuries was a bruised neck and bite marks, plus a swollen face, a bloodshot eye and a black eye.

“He told her she’s so small and frail he could kill her if he wanted to.”

But after the victim was too scared to tell the police about her ordeal, Stroud was released with no further action.

On other occasions, Stroud strangled his girlfriend, dragging her around by her neck, and hit her with her shoe.

He also threatened to “smash her face in”, would call her a “fat b****” and would get angry when she met certain friends.

Stroud, now 20, used threats of violence, controlled what she could wear, the colour of her hair, and her social media accounts, the court was also told.

The victim told the court that she’s a “completely different person” since the incidents.

“I can barely hold a conversation with somebody because I was made to feel like I was stupid, and not the kind of person people like, so I just don’t try.

“Everywhere I go in Swindon, there are memories of me and Claudio, and the amount of them that are places I was hurt by him is awful.

“Before any of this I was bubbly and happy, and always able to see the good in people. Now all I see is bad.”

Mitigating, Stephen Dent referenced Stroud’s young age, that he had no previous convictions and that “his emotional immaturity is right at the heart of the offending”.

Judge Jason Taylor QC labelled Stroud a “selfish bully” who made his victim’s life a “misery”.

He said: “It is hard to imagine how scared she must have felt at the time. I’m not surprised she thought she was going to die.

“It is clear that whilst she is doing her best to move on, she will live with the consequences for some time to come.

“You brought this on yourself and she has done the right thing.”

The judge took into account his young age and immaturity, the fact he is remorseful and had no previous convictions.

Stroud was jailed for 28 months, having previously admitted three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of assault by beating and one count of controlling and coercive behaviour.