Bassetlaw veteran risked prison by attacking wife in boozed-up dog-grooming argument
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Steven Moir swung a bar stool at one officer and headbutted a second when they came to his Retford home on July 19 last year, Nottingham Crown Court heard on Wednesday.
His wife called 999 because 54-year-old Moir became "heavily intoxicated and aggressive" while arguing that their dog shouldn't be groomed.
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Hide AdShe reluctantly told them he had grabbed her by the throat and squeezed while pinning her to a wall the week before which left bruises behind her ears.
He later admitted the attack and said the force he used was “six out of ten”.
The court heard the offence of intentional strangulation carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and Moir also has a previous conviction for drink driving in 2001.
Daniel Scothern, mitigating, said: "In his own words he said, "I feel extremely guilty and remorseful. I broke my wedding vows to love and cherish and protect her."
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Hide Ad"He spoke of the impact on her family and his family. He is trying to make amends and now has a bird's eye view of what was going on."
He said Moir's service in the Gulf War and Bosnia had a "drastic effect” on his mental health but he “stuck a plaster” over his problems by drinking a minimum of two bottles of wine per day. He was formally diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Moir has since stopped drinking, and referred himself to Alcoholics Anonymous and Combat Stress, Mr Scothern said.
It was “a one-off incident” and his wife will lose their home if he is jailed, he added.
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Hide AdMr Recorder David Allan said Moir's main problem was related to alcohol and warned him further offences would likely result in custody.
He imposed a ten-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with ten rehabilitation days and a £5,000 fine.
A community order, imposed by Nottingham magistrates for assaulting the police officers, was revoked and replaced with a two-month suspended sentence to run concurrently.
Moir, 54, formerly of Hemmingfield Crescent, Worksop, admitted intentional strangulation on November 29.