A drunk strangled his girlfriend in his work van, then again in a caravan, before a third incident in which he kicked and punched her, and dragged her around the house.

Daniel Cardwell had only been seeing his victim a matter of months before he turned violent, assaulting her three times while under the influence of alcohol - once to the point where she floated in and out of consciousness.

Preston Crown Court heard how he was convicted of two counts of assault and one of intentional strangulation following a trial at the lower courts in which his victim voluntarily gave evidence.

He also pleaded guilty to affray relating to a separate incident.

Prosecuting, Emma Kehoe said Cardwell and his victim began a relationship in January 2022, which was described as “great at the beginning”, but as it progressed, Cardwell began drinking, taking drugs, and showing signs of mental health problems.

Ms Kehoe told the court: “They moved in together in March but not long after he became jealous and controlling. He was paranoid she was having an affair.”

It was heard the 32-year-old’s victim then became pregnant and during a discussion in Cardwell’s work van he launched into his first attack.

Ms Kehoe said Cardwell had been drinking vodka and “completely out of the blue” he turned into an “angry individual” and grabbed his victim and put both hands around her neck.

She went on: “He squeezed and put pressure on her neck. She was scared and eventually he let go.

“She got out of the van and ran but he ran after her and pleaded with her to come back.”

Tragically, the victim lost their child some weeks later and Cardwell was kind and respectful with her about this.

However, in May, things changed, as the woman went to see Cardwell in Essex, where he was working, and living in a caravan.

Ms Kehoe said Cardwell had been drinking and during discussions about their future, he lunged towards her and began hitting her in the face, before putting his hands around her neck and squeezing.

She said: “The defendant’s friend heard what was happening and intervened to stop the assault.”

The third incident happened when the pair went back to live with each other, and following a few drinks, Cardwell accused her of having an affair.

The court was told how he then began punching and kicking her and dragged her around the house.

Again he put his hands around her neck and this was when she began slipping in and out of consciousness.

Ms Kehoe said: “She managed to run out of the front door and jumped in the passenger seat of a van that was parked up and told the driver to take her away.

“Following this she went to the police and reported this incident as well as the previous two occurrences.”

It was in July, while on conditional bail for these offences, that Cardwell went back to live with his victim.

Ms Kehoe said that a group of people came to the house with weapons and Cardwell picked up a knife and ran out into the garden to meet the group before telling them to “back off”.

He then ran towards a neighbour who was trying to help, with the knife still in his hand.

Ms Kehoe added: “He ran from the property and the police attended and chased him down an alley.

“He resisted and was tasered and finally arrested.”

Mitigating, Hannah Forsyth asked for a suspended sentence and asked Judge Ian Unsworth to bear in mind afforded credit for his guilty plea to the affray charge.

Cardwell, of Park Lane, Great Harwood, was jailed for three years and six months,

He has also been made subject to a restraining order against the victim for 10 years.