A man who told his partner he 'might kill her' as he drunkenly strangled her at her home has walked free from court.
Mark Slater, 36, was charged with intentional strangulation after he put his hands around his partner's throat twice, Preston Crown Court heard. He is one of the first people to be charged with the offence, which came into force in June.
Judge Richard Gioserano called the incident, which happened on July 27 of this year, a 'serious offence' and said he could 'understand' why his partner 'thought you capable of killing', reports LancsLive.
READ MORE: Heartbreak as mum, 22, dies after fiancé found her unconscious at home
Preston Crown Court heard on the evening of the attack, Slater had been drinking and put his hands around his partner's throat twice while telling her he 'might kill her'. The incident left his partner terrified he would carry through with the threat.
Slater was charged with intentional strangulation and told a probation officer he had frightened himself, as well as his partner during the incident. The court heard he has no previous convictions and the relationship was not marked with previous incidents of violence and abuse.
But Judge Richard Gioserano, sentencing, said: "This sort of thing is often used primarily, it has to be said, by men, to terrify and control their partners or former partners, but not necessarily cause injury. Existing sentencing powers were considered inadequate.
"You are right to be fearful of the outcome and you are right, as you have to the author of the pre-sentence report, to describe your conduct towards your partner as 'very serious. You strangled her twice, while telling her you might kill her. I can well understand, even though you are of previous good character and the relationship was not marred with abuse, why she thought you were capable of killing.
"This is quite a serious offence of its kind."
The court heard Slater was struggling with mental health difficulties and was self medicating with alcohol. However the judge said: "I would prefer to describe it as self inflicting. Your partner has ended up paying the price for that, not you. At least not yet.
"I accept your remorse is genuine. You have not only found your own behaviour surprising but indeed troubling and shocking. To some extent you do accept you frightened yourself with what you now know you are capable of in the wrong circumstances.
"Your remorse and resolve is genuine. Often people in your situation, the perpetrators of domestic abuse and violence, focus entirely on themselves. It is all about them and their problems and not a word for their victims. It is different with you. That has in no small part saved you from having to serve this sentence.
"With all the positive signs coming from you I am going to focus on the future protection of partners and future partners from you. You have lost this relationship, and quite right too. Hopefully this sentence will, in some significant way, help to protect other partners from this sort of thing."
He sentenced Slater, of Longfold, Liverpool, to 12 months suspended for two years and ordered him to undertake a Building Better Relationships course and 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirements. He also ordered him to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
READ NEXT:
