A JEALOUS ex who was banned from having any contact with his ex-girlfriend confronted her as she walked along the canal bank after taking her children to school.

Blackburn magistrates heard Lee Francis Green said his ex-partner was just the person he wanted to see before grabbing her by the throat.

Green, of Allendale Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to assaulting Kelly Lord and breaching a restraining order in favour of her.

The 30-year-old was jailed for 12 weeks for the offences and a further six weeks of a suspended prison sentence were imposed.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the restraining order had only been made two weeks before the offences. When Green confronted Miss Lord on the canal bank he demanded to know who the man was at her house.

"She told him it was her brother and he then demanded to know why she kept calling the police," said Miss Allan. "At that point he grabbed her throat with both hands and squeezed until she couldn't breathe. He then threw her into a bushes.

She said Miss Lord was extremely fearful and intimidated by the defendant.

"She is scared to be on her own and has to get a taxi to work because the bus stop is near where he lives," said Miss Allan. "He has turned up near her home and on one occasion she saw him in her yard."

David Lawson, defending, said his client was extremely realistic and recognised the custodial threshold had been crossed.

"He says it was a chance meeting and his frustration boiled over," said Mr Lawson. "He says he grabbed her by the jacket and accepts that contact would have been made with her throat."

He said the relationship had been tempestuous and this had been exacerbated by cocaine use which had resulted in paranoia.

"He says there are no excuses or mitigation he can put forward and he expects to go to prison today," added Mr Lawson.