Ashfield man who pinned wife to their bed by her neck "only held her down to scare her"
An Ashfield man who pinned his wife to their bed by her neck during an argument later claimed he only held her down to scare her, a court has heard.
Christopher Palfreeman rowed with his wife after she asked about his plans for that week and the dispute escalated on August 12 last year, said Catherine Wilson, prosecuting.
He pushed her against the bedroom wall, causing an injury, and then threw her onto the bed where he put his hands around her neck.
He didn't stop her breathing but held her down for a few seconds before releasing her, Ms Wilson said.
Palfreeman claimed he lost his temper and “only held her down to scare her.”
He said the relationship had been "dysfunctional" for a few months and police previously attended their address, on Taupo Drive, Hucknall, following a "heated argument."
The court heard he has a previous conviction for assault from 2013.
His wife gave an account to police at the scene but didn't want to support the prosecution.
Vicky Clarson, mitigating, said Palfreeman had shown immediate remorse and deserved credit for his guilty plea.
She said the couple stopped going to marriage counselling following the death of the defendant's father, which had a "profound impact" on him, a couple of months before.
Palfreeman, 40, now of Davies Avenue, Sutton, admitted assault by beating and intentional strangulation, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on February 19.
On Tuesday he received an 18 month community order with 20 rehabilitation days and 80 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £199 in court costs.