Tycoon's son jailed

Tycoon's son jailed

Scott Thomas was jailed for six months

A member of one of Wales' richest families has been sent to jail for a violent attack on his girlfriend at their luxury home.

Scott Thomas, 40, one of the Thomas family dynasty whose fortune is estimated to be around £200m, was jailed for six months for the attack on model Kirstie Howells in January.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that 31-year-old Miss Howells was beaten around the head with a telephone in the attack, and blood was spattered over the walls of the couple's mansion in the Old St Mellons area of Cardiff.

Thomas's father - multi millionaire businessman Stan Thomas - pleaded on behalf of his son, saying "he was always the centre of attention".

But Judge Isabel Parry said that sending Thomas to prison was the most effective punishment for a man of his background.

Thomas, who previously owned a failed club opened by socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson in Cardiff city centre, looked pale-faced, and was shaking and holding back tears as the sentence was handed down.

Thomas carried out the attack after he returned from a business lunch with his bank manager.

Stepbrother

His girlfriend was annoyed at being kept waiting but Thomas was in "something of a temper", prosecutor Martyn Kelly told the court.

"The assault started with him hurling her over his shoulder so she was slammed onto the floor," Mr Kelly said.

"He then jumped on top of her pinning her wrists down and slapping her with full force to the side of her face.

"At one point he shouted 'I'll kill you, I'll kill you'."

The couple's two-year-old son Dylan and his stepbrother were in the kitchen while Thomas carried out the assault.

Miss Howells managed to escape from the house and flag down a passing motorist who went inside the house and saw the blood on the floor and hallway.

Fortune

She was later treated in hospital for cuts and bruises to her face and neck.

Roger Thomas, defending Thomas, said his client was genuinely contrite and upset about what had occurred.

"A large number of people, including a number of celebrities, have offered to help and support Scott Thomas," he said.

Scott Thomas is the grandson of Stan Thomas, who built up his fortune on the back of the family pie business.

His father, also Stan Thomas, developed the business empire which now includes TBI, the company which owns Cardiff International and other airports.

The chairman of Cardiff Rugby Club Peter Thomas is Scott Thomas's uncle.