Christopher Cooksey, pictured at Cardiff Crown Court, allegedly flew into a rage after he went through the phone of girlfriend Stephanie Watkiss and found a photograph of a man

A 'controlling' boyfriend told his partner's bosses that she had been in a car crash after he beat her up while making her say 'it's you I want', a court has heard.

Christopher Cooksey, 33, of Pontypool, Gwent, allegedly flew into a rage after he went through the phone of girlfriend Stephanie Watkiss and found a photograph of a man.

It came just days after he is said to have forced his 29-year-old partner to snort lines of cocaine - following a row at her office Christmas party on December 3 last year.

Giving evidence at Cardiff Crown Court, Ms Watkiss said: 'I remember him shoving the phone in my face, saying: 'You fancy him. What does this mean?''

Ms Watkiss said she pointed out she did not know the defendant when she sent the message the previous year.

She added: 'I remember him being outraged. He completely lost it.

'I was on the bed and I remember him punching me repeatedly to the ribs.

'I tried to put my arm in the way, then he was punching my arm. Then he punched me in the face.

'I tried to curl up. I closed my eyes and I could see flashing lights as he hit me. My head hit the wall with the force of him punching my head.

'He was shouting at me and calling me a whore. He kept hitting me until I said I did not fancy [the man]. I had to say: 'It's you I want.'

Mr Cobbe asked: 'You had to say that while he was punching you?'

Ms Watkiss confirmed that was correct. She said: 'I just waited and prayed for it to be over.'

Afterwards, Ms Watkiss said: 'He told me to go and look in the mirror.

'I remember looking at my face. I had a black eye. My arm was black and heavy.

'My ribs hurt so much I could not lie down to sleep.'

Cooksey, 33, allegedly forced his girlfriend Stephanie Watkiss (pictured) to drink Malibu. He had also previously forced her to snort cocaine, the court heard

She said Cooksey brought in a bottle of Malibu rum and forced her to drink it. The complainant said she tried to spill as much as she could without him noticing, adding: 'I was shaking and begging to stop.'

She told the court that on another occasion they had a 'huge row' at his house and she told him she wanted to go home.

Ms Watkiss said: 'He took me, but he was fuming. When I got out of the van, he was even more mad.

'He followed me in and he was in my face. He wouldn't leave me alone.'

She added: 'He just grabbed me and started to choke me. He had one arm around my neck and used the other to tighten the grip.

'I was kicking out and pushing my legs against the wall, trying to get him off me, but I could feel the grip getting tighter and tighter around my neck.'

She said she fell to the floor when he let go and struggled to catch her breath.

The court heard Cooksey said: 'Why do you make me do this? You always push me to the edge.'

Ms Watkiss said she sat in a chair, trying to catch her breath, when the defendant started to strangle her using his hands.

She said: 'He was shouting at me and I was struggling and crying. I was trying to pull his hands away, but it was my strength against his and it was not working.'

The complainant said she was 'hysterical' as Cooksey went to the kitchen and picked up a knife.

Cooksey denies one count of administering a poisonous or noxious substance to Ms Watkiss last December and the trial continues at Cardiff Crown Court

She told the court: 'I was thinking: 'Oh my god, he's going to kill me.'

'He grabbed my hand and held it on the knife, then held it to his neck, pushing it against the skin. I was petrified.'

She said he told her: 'We're together. We do this together. If you want me gone, kill me now.'

Ms Watkiss said she replied: 'I don't want to hurt you. I just want to be happy.'

The court previously heard how an argument had sparked between the couple at Ms Watkiss' Christmas party - and they left after Cooksey became 'aggressive', Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Cooksey then allegedly 'ruined' her dress by throwing her to the floor before forcing his 29-year-old partner to snort lines of the Class A drug.

Matthew Cobb, prosecuting, said the couple had been at the party on December 3 last year when they walked outside having an argument.

Mr Cobb told the court: 'He grabbed her by the arms and threw her to the floor - her dress was ruined and she was crying hysterically.'

The boyfriend allegedly continued the abuse as they walked back to their bed and breakfast. Mr Cobb said: 'He insisted that she clean herself up but also insisted she take cocaine.'

She took herself half-dressed to the kitchen to drink the Malibu. She forced it down as he watched Matthew Cobb, prosecuting

When she refused Mr Cobb said Cooksey grabbed her by the back of the neck and dragged her to the lines of cocaine he had cut, it was claimed.

The court heard six days later Cooksey became angry about a Facebook message from 2016. He then allegedly forced his girlfriend to drink the Caribbean rum Malibu.

Mr Cobb said: 'He returned to the room with a bottle of Malibu, forcing her to drink a large amount. She took herself half-dressed to the kitchen to drink the Malibu. She forced it down as he watched.'

The court Cooksey also stopped his partner going to work. Mr Cobb said: 'She tried to tell him that she could cover the bruising with make up but he was adamant that she wouldn't go.'

Between December 7 and December 16, Ms Watkiss was not allowed to leave the house, the court heard.

Mr Cobb said: 'She only left the flat when she was in his company. She was not allowed to leave his side.'

Cooksey denies one count of administering a poisonous or noxious substance to Ms Watkiss last December.

He also denies four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one of assault by beating, one of false imprisonment, and one of controlling and coercive behaviour.

The trial continues.