A man who retreated into his loft with a golf club after strangling a woman during an argument was today (Tuesday, September 1) given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay his victim £2,500 compensation.
Police spent several hours outside the property in Nene Meadows, Sutton Bridge, after Paul Gray, 52, refused to come out.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Gray was eventually arrested at 6am on the morning of November 23 after agreeing to leave for a cup of coffee and an electronic cigarette.
The court was told a physical argument had broken out over a broken dog toy at around 8.45pm the previous day.
Gray accepted strangling the complainant after she bit his shoulder in act of frustration, the court heard.
Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Gray he reacted by going behind the victim and behaving appallingly.
Judge Hirst said: “You squeezed her neck hard. Unsurprisingly it was painful. She was struggling to breathe.”
“She felt she was going to pass out, she felt you were going to kill her,” Judge Hirst added.
“At some point you stopped and let go. She came round on the floor.
“You retreated to the loft and barricaded yourself in and said you were only leaving in a body bag. You were arrested many hours later.”
Gray claimed to have no recollection of the incident after drinking heavily. He later admitted a single charge of intentional strangulation.
An impact statement from the victim was read out in court. She described suffering significant pain in her throat and a blood shot eye.
Leanne Summers, mitigating, told the court Gray was of previous good character.
Miss Summers said: “He accepts he is to blame for why he is here.
“On the day of this offence matters exploded
“The way he acted and to the police is extremely out of character.”
Gray was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years. He must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work in the community and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Judge Hirst also ordered Gray to pay compensation of £2,500 to the victim and made a restraining order preventing any contact with her. He was also ordered to pay £150 court costs.
