A NORTH Wales pensioner was yesterday convicted of beating his long-term partner - with a Christmas tree. Flintshire magistrates heard Edward George Calland repeatedly hit his girl-friend of 30 years on the head after a row over a taxi fare. The 65-year-old, of Maes Walwen, Riverbank, Bagillt, has since split with Elizabeth Josephine Miles. Calland had denied a charge of common assault. Yesterday he was ordered to pay her £200 compensation by the Mold court. Magistrates also ordered him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work under a community punishment order. He must also pay £200 costs. Magistrates heard Miss Miles ended up with a swollen head and a sore face. Tracey Willingham, prosecuting, said that the couple had been together for more than 30 years but their relationship had been abusive and violent. Police were called to their home and he was arrested at least six times. The court heard Miss Miles left Cal-land but always returned. Once she claimed her partner held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her. At around 7pm on December 19, Cal-land returned home from hospital after suffering a blood clot behind the eye. The Magistrates heard that he was upset at having to pay £20 for the taxi home from the hospital and an argument then broke out. "He assaulted her with the top section of an artificial Christmas tree approximately six times to the head saying he was going to kill her," Miss Willingham said. "She had a swollen head and face and had bad headaches." Gwyn Jones, defending, urged magistrates to impose a community rehabilitation order. He said his client, who admitted one blow - not five or six, held entrenched views which were not appropriate in the modern world. The lawyer said a rehabilitation order meant he should attend a domestic violence course which would be of benefit to him and to society in general. He said the couple had been together a long time, the relationship was patchy but he accepted his behaviour was inappropriate. "He now accepts that the relation-ship is over, once and for all," added Mr Jones. There had been no contact with his ex-partner since the incident, although his client alleged she had tried to contact him. | 
