A MAN who argued with his partner over her smoking then lost control and grabbed her round the throat leaving her struggling to breathe.

Kyle Williams had just returned home to South Petherton from a family barbecue when the argument erupted and he carried out the assault while shoving her onto a sofa.

The terrified victim called the police and then told them about a previous incident where the defendant had smashed her mobile phone worth hundreds of pounds against a wall and he was arrested.

Williams, 26, of Stonefield, Haselbury Plucknett, pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner by beating her at South Petherton on April 21.

He also admitted that between January 1 and March 31 he damaged a mobile phone belonging to the same complainant when he appeared before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.

Prosecutor Christine Hart said that the couple had been together for eight years and on April 21 they had an argument when the defendant accused his partner of smoking.

“In a basis of plea to the court Williams accepts putting his hands round her throat on one occasion and the victim said she could not breathe,” she said.

“She managed to force him off when the dog started to bark at him.

"The police were then called and the victim gave a statement and also described an incident back in January where Williams took her mobile phone out of her hand and smashed it against a wall so hard that it no longer worked.

“During interview the defendant gave a prepared statement saying they had come home from a barbecue and he had wanted to leave but his partner got upset and pushed him. He then said he pushed her onto a sofa and left.

“He made no comment about the criminal damage however he now accepts he damaged her phone and assaulted her.”

In a victim personal statement which was read to the court his partner said the incidents had left her feeling distraught, and although she was scared about being left on her own she said the relationship had to come to an end.

“I have been intimidated by his behaviour and I am scared as I don’t know how he will react and he has caused me so much upset,” she said.

“I feel isolated and have very few friends and my family live away. I also suffer from post natal depression and this has left me feeling lost and I am scared of being on my own.”

She added that there was no chance of any reconciliation until Williams got help and did not make an application for a restraining order.

Probation officer Joe Harper said that the argument between Williams and his partner occurred over the issue of whether she had been smoking or not.

“At one point he lost self control and found himself placing his hands around her neck but then realised what he had done and left the property,” he said.

“He shows a great deal of remorse and says he is devastated over the incident and wants to focus on his children. He does not think there will be any immediate reconciliation but hopes there can be in the future, however he has various issues that he needs help with first.

“The incident with the phone happened after he argued with his partner over issues around believing that his partner may be seeing another male.

“He grabbed the phone off her and had gone through some of her emails, at which point he saw some that concerned him and he lost self control and threw the phone against a wall.”

He said the defendant did not have any issues with alcohol and had suffered from depression in the past, however there had been no formal diagnosis.

District Judge Taylor told Williams that any violence within the context of a relationship was serious and said that anyone living in their own home was entitled to feel safe.

He imposed a 12 month community order with 60 hours unpaid work and a 20 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. He also ordered the defendant to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.