Notts man attacked ex-partner in ‘jealous rage’ over text messages

Martin Bryan pinned the woman to his bedroom wall and punched a dent in it after arguing with her at his Retford home in the early hours of March 7, following a night out.

When she tried to leave, he stopped her, pushed her into the bedroom and on to the bed, where she slapped his face, said prosecutor Lauren Butts.

He dragged her to the bed again by her hair and pinned her down and demanded she unlock her mobile phone, counting down while making threats to kill her.

"She pleaded with him to stop and that must have registered because he got off her," Ms Butts told Nottingham Crown Court.

The woman was left with bruising to her neck, face and chest, and struggled to speak and breathe for two weeks afterwards.

"I honestly thought I was going to die as he counted down," she said in a statement.

James Horne, mitigating, said: "He is deeply ashamed of his actions and he would embrace the opportunity to work with the probation service to ensure he doesn't come back to court.”

Bryan, 53, of Gomersall Close, Retford, pleaded guilty assault occasioning actual bodily harm, on August 27.

Judge John Sampson told him: "This was a nasty and sustained attack. You displayed a juvenile jealousy and immaturity that belies your age.”

He added that the consequences "could have been far worse” and told Bryan of the last case he prosecuted, in which a man was sentenced to life after murdering his partner by strangling her for 30 seconds.

"This was a highly traumatic experience for your victim and without your guilty plea you would be going to jail," he told Bryan. "Your guilty plea is your only mitigation."

On Thursday, he sentenced Bryan to 12 months, suspended for 18 months, and ordered 15 rehabilitation days.

The judge ordered the defendant to pay £340 costs and £2,000 compensation to his victim, at a rate of £150 per month.

A five year restraining order was also imposed.

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