A West Cumbrian man who choked and punched his on-off partner during a sustained assault in her home has been handed a lengthy prison sentence.
Robert Nicholson, 53, became enraged while drinking with the woman on June 30. They had been in an on-off relationship for two decades, Carlisle Crown Court heard.
The mood changed that night after she woke to find Nicholson staring at her and him giving an evil look which she had seen before and knew meant trouble.
Nicholson began shouting at the woman and delivered a verbal insult before running towards and taking hold of her. Nicholson choked the woman, placing pressure on his victim’s neck and windpipe, causing her to feel he was crushing her whole throat. She believed she lost consciousness during the ordeal.
“She was screaming ‘get off, I can’t breathe’. He was punching as well,” said prosecutor Gerard Rogerson. “She also describes how at one point of this assault, whilst strangling her with one hand on the neck, he was punching her with the other. She also describes being the subject of a headbutt and also feeling dizzy with the strangulation.”
The woman later underwent a CT scan, had multiple bruises on her face and hands, and there was fingerprint-type bruising to the arms. She was left scared, confused and anxious. “She is no longer comfortable in her own home,” added Mr Rogerson.
In interview, Nicholson insisted he was not an aggressive and violent man, and claimed the woman’s injuries were all caused by her falling around due to alcohol.
He later admitted charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and also strangulation. Nicholson’s lawyer told the court he was apologetic and did accept responsibility for his actions.
The court heard he had 95 offences on his criminal record including past offences for robbery and violence — one attack in 2006 had involved him grabbing a female’s neck and pinning her against a wall.
Recorder Peter Horgan jailed Nicholson, of Mona Road, Salterbeck, for three years and imposed a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim — and entering specified roads in the Workington area — for five years.
