A man who stands accused of assaulting and strangling a woman, and of burgling her home, will have his case heard by a Carlisle Crown Court judge.
Jamie Robert Adrian Pitt, 32, pleaded not guilty to three charges when he appeared in front of city magistrates this afternoon.
One charge alleges burglary and that Pitt entered a woman’s Carlisle home as a trespasser, on Wednesday, July 23, and stole a key.
A second charge alleges that he assaulted the woman, causing her actual bodily harm on the same date.
And a third charge alleges that Pitt intentionally strangled her.
A summary of the allegations was outlined by a prosecutor after Pitt had formally entered not guilty pleas to those three charges.
The prosecutor told the court that the woman was an ex-partner of Pitt, although he claimed from the dock during today’s short hearing that he remained in a relationship with her.
Magistrates ruled that the case should be heard at Carlisle Crown Court.
Pitt, who gave his address as Aglionby, near Carlisle, is due to appear in front of a judge for a plea and trial preparation hearing on August 22.
Until then he has been remanded in custody after a bail application, made by the defence, was refused by magistrates.
