A PARANOID boyfriend strangled, kicked and threw a phone at his girlfriend as he accused her of cheating, before pressuring her in to withdrawing her complaint to the police.

Prosecutor Ieuan Rees told the court that an argument broke out between Liam Brian and his partner on August 11 last year where he accused her of infidelity and twice threw her phone at her.

The pair went downstairs, and Brian kicked his partner on the leg and then to the chin, before then starting to strangle her.

“The abuse during that incident lasted for around three hours in total,” Mr Rees said.

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The court heard that the victim was concerned about the defendant’s welfare, so stayed with him, but kept notes of what had happened.

Mr Rees said Brian was “further angered” when she showed him these notes, but the pair then reconciled again.

During this period of reconciliation, the pair got engaged on Christmas Day 2023. Mr Rees said they talked together about the victim withdrawing her complaint to the police, and she did so in January.

“It wasn’t just talking about it. He accepts the prosecution’s case that it involved pressure on the complainant?,” asked Judge Catherine Richards.

“Yes, your honour,” said Emily Bennett, representing Brian.

The court heard that the original complaint was made to police in December 2023 and was withdrawn in January, before the withdrawal was cancelled in February.

After initially denying the offences, Brian pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, strangulation and perverting the course of justice on the day of trial.

“It was a prolonged assault. Fortunately the injuries were minor,” Mr Rees said.

He added that Brian had five previous offences, including for battery and ABH in domestic contexts, and he was subject to a suspended sentence at the time of the attack.

“The defendant is under no illusions about the sentence he might face today,” said Ms Bennett. “[He] knows that a period in custody is inevitable.”

Ms Bennett said Brian was suffering with “significant stress and anxiety” at the time of the offences.

“The defendant is deeply disappointed in himself,” she said.

Ms Bennett said Brian was “motivated to change his behaviour” so as to “provide him with better prospects upon his release”.

Judge Richards sentenced Brian to 27 months each for the assault and strangulation charges, running concurrently. He was handed a further seven months, running consecutively, for perverting the course of justice.

Brian’s ex-partner was also granted a 10-year restraining order against him.