³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A "bully" who strangled his girlfriend then tried to get her to drop the charges against him has been jailed for 15 months.

Philip Ormonde, 37, attacked his partner of two years while she slept, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He admitted three offences including non-fatal strangulation, witness intimidation and assault.

Recorder Anthony Hawkes warned Ormonde if he lifted his hands against a woman in the future his prison sentenced would be "measured in years".

The court heard Ormonde had been in an on-off relationship with the woman for two years, which she described as "toxic and depressing".

On 9 August she went to bed but was woken by Ormonde with his hands around her neck, spitting in her face and screaming abuse at her, the court heard.

After she reported the matter to police, he then messaged her demanding she withdraw her evidence, prosecutors said.

There was then another incident with some "pushing and shoving", the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the woman said she lived in fear of Ormonde.

Recorder Hawkes said strangulation was "rightly regarded as an extremely serious offence" as it caused "enormous distress and fear on the part of a victim".

After being released on police bail for that offence, Ormonde, of Copley Avenue in South Shields, then tried to "bully her into dropping the charges", the judge said.

He added that "fortunately" the relationship came to an end when he was remanded into custody with the court hearing he has been in prison for the past seven months.

"Society views this sort of violence towards women extremely seriously and if you didn’t realise that before you should release that now," the judge said.

"If you lift your hands to a woman again after your release you're going to get a sentence measured in years."

A restraining order was also made banning Ormonde from contacting the woman for five years.

Follow ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ North East on , and . Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.