A man has been spared jail after strangling his ex-partner and threatening to kill her.

Richard Berry, 47, also kicked his victim to the kidneys, jabbed his finger in her eye and dragged her by her hair in a ‘prolonged and persistent assault’.

Peter Connick, prosecuting, told Preston Crown Court how the pair got into a relationship in April 2021, but that they had parted ways.

On June 8, 2022, Berry went over to the woman’s home in Clayton-le-Moors while drunk and found her upstairs in the bedroom.

He started to confront her about messages she was sending to other men, shouting “I can’t believe what you have done to me”.

She told him she wanted attention from other men, at which point Berry snapped and punched her to the face, and then put both hands around her neck and strangled her.

Mr Connick said: “He told her ‘I’m going to kill you’. She pleaded with him to stop.

“She was able to free herself from his grip and escaped.

“He followed her and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her back into the address.”

Berry kicked the woman in the kidneys several times, before jabbing his finger into her eye.

She managed to escape again, with Berry chasing her, grabbing her by the neck again and gripping tight.

Mr Connick added: “She thought she was going to die, she couldn’t breathe.

“He told her again he was going to kill her, despite her pleas to stop.”

After a four-hour long attack, Berry fell asleep and his victim managed to escape, seeking refuge with a neighbour.

Graham Rishton, defending, said that Berry, of Duke Street, Clayton-le-Moors, accepts that he inflicted the injuries on his ex-partner, and that he just ‘snapped’.

Mr Rishton went on to say that this was ‘deeply concerning’ incident that was ‘out of character’ behaviour for Berry, and that having grown up around domestic violence, he had always sworn not to ‘go that way’.

He also added that Berry has a supportive family, who said that this kind of violence is not ‘the man they know’ and is holding down a job at Eco Providers in Hurst Green.

Recorder Daniel Prowse said that Berry launched a ‘prolonged and persistent' assault.

Mr Prowse said: “She felt herself unable to breathe. She believed she was going to die.

“She says that up until she knew you, she felt her life was positive.

“She says that since this incident, she feels her life has been ruined.

“She has afraid of what you will do to her. That is understandable given what you did to her.”

Recorder Prowse handed Berry, who pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, a 16-month sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He must take part in 20 rehabilitation days, complete a 90-day alcohol treatment requirement and 180 hours of unpaid work.

A seven-year restraining order has also been imposed to stop Berry from going near the woman.