Sunderland man throttled former girlfriend after she admitting kissing someone else

Furious Peter Atkinson, 22, of St Luke’s Road, Ford Estate, grabbed her by the throat as she lay in bed at the South Shields home they shared after their split.

She awoke with her arms limp by her side and with Atkinson about to continue his assault on Tuesday, December 20.

He did so by putting a hand over her mouth and pinning her down, leading his terrified victim to a muffled plea of, “Don’t kill me, I can’t breathe”.

After further aggression she fled but a day later was chillingly told by him in a phone call he “could have done a lot worse”.

He has now been jailed for four months, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to charges of intentional strangulation and assault by beating.

Prosecutor Paul Anderson told South Tyneside Magistrates' Court: “There was a relationship between them which ended about a month before.

“They were still sharing the same house in Lyndhurst Street, though sleeping separately.

“She had a male friend around to listen to music and chat. The defendant was also there.

“He said to her, ‘Who the hell was in the house? Did you kiss him?’ She was in her bed.

“He grabbed her throat and applied pressure. She was struggling to breathe.

“She tried to get him off but at that point everything went black, she must have passed out.

“She awoke and he said to her, ‘Who do you think you are, you slag, bringing lads to the house?’

“He lunged at her again and put his hand over her mouth, he pinned her down.

“She said, ‘Please don’t kill me, I can’t breathe’. He said, ‘Breathe through your nose’.”

Mr Anderson said she again tried to get up but was pushed down but eventually got away.

He added: “She was left with soreness. The following day there was a phone call.

“He said to her, ‘You know why I did what I did to you. I could have done a lot worse’. Police were contacted.”

Syed Ahmed, defending, said: “The defendant was a man of previous good character. There’s a long history between the pair.

“He admitted his guilt from the off and is very remorseful.”

Atkinson, who has no previous convictions, must pay his victim £500 compensation, stay away from her as part of a two-year restraining order and complete 27 days of rehabilitation work.