Bulwell man tried to choke partner in split-up row

An argument started when Dale Leivers told the woman he was leaving her in their Sutton home on Martyn Avenue, on September 16, last year.

Leivers threw her to the floor, dragged and pushed her, then grabbed her by the throat and squeezed her windpipe.

"She tried to call the police and he took her phone and cancelled the call," prosecutor Michael Treharne said.

"He threw a beer can at her and was bashing her head on the kitchen cupboard. He took a bowl of water from the sink and poured it over her head.

"He tried to headbutt her while he had her pinned to the living room wall."

The attack left her with red marks on the throat and chin.

The court heard their five year "on-off" relationship had been "violent and abusive".

Matt Hayes, mitigating, said: "He is absolutely appalled by his behaviour and he is ashamed of himself.

"He would like her to know how truly sorry he is for how he treated her on that day.

"He was working long hours in a warehouse. Sadly the pressure became too much for him to bear."

Mr Haynes urged magistrates to step back from an immediate custodial sentence, because he has no previous convictions and wants to address his offending behaviour.

Leivers, 30, of Bonington Close, admitted assault shortly before a trial onApril 18, after initially denying the charge.

On Thursday, Mansfield magistrates gave him a two year community order, with 30 sessions of a building better relationships course and 150 hours of unpaid work.

A 12-month restraining order was granted.