A thug has been jailed after an argument with his girlfriend led to him grabbing her by the throat and throttling her.

Rebecca Richards told police her partner of four years, Lee Winter, had such a "manic" look on his face that she feared he would kill her.

Winter, of Church Road, Paddock Wood, was sentenced to eight months after admitting assault causing actual bodily harm.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the couple were in a local pub on December 1 last year when they started arguing about Miss Richards, 23, speaking to her mother.

"He doesn't like her speaking to her," said prosecutor Andrew Forsyth. "He was obsessive about her family. It angered her.

"When they reached home, the argument continued. He became enraged and grabbed her throat with such force she struggled to breathe or speak.

"She tried to call 999, but he knocked the phone from her hand. He released her and continued to shout abuse. He followed her to the bedroom and again grabbed her throat.

"He accepts losing his temper and grabbing her around the throat. He made full and frank admissions..." - Thaiza Khan, defending

"He pushed her onto the bed and knelt on her chest, restricting her breathing."

She was left with reddening to her throat and a black eye.

When arrested, 31-year-old Winter said: "I am guilty. I am not going to argue about it."

Thaiza Khan, defending, said Winter claimed Miss Richards had been so drunk in the pub staff refused to serve her.

"Becky told the defendant that if she ever got pregnant she would terminate it or deprive him of contact," said Miss Khan.

"He accepts losing his temper and grabbing her around the throat. He made full and frank admissions."

Miss Khan added that when officers spoke to Miss Richards she was "foaming at the mouth" and so drunk and aggressive officers had to draw their batons.

"There was a significant amount of provocation," she said. "He tried to calm the situation and then lost his temper."

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