A JUDGE has been forced to lift a restraining order he made to protect a mother-of-three after her brutal ex-partner ‘almost killed’ her – because the victim insists she is in no danger.

‘Powerful’ thug Hafizur Rahman, 30, is currently serving 20 months behind bars after terrorising Natalie Raby in a sustained and ‘life-threatening’ attack on June 30.

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Burnley Crown Court had earlier been told how Ms Raby, who had suffered violence at Rahman’s hands before, had lost consciousness and was on all fours gasping for breath after he grabbed her by the throat, slammed her against a wall and squeezed tighter and tighter.

She was also pinned down on the settee in the onslaught, before a neighbour arrived and bravely got her away from his clutches.

The hearing had been told how Ms Raby was convinced she was going to die. But last Friday, she told Recorder Raymond Herman, who imposed the restraining order: “I don’t believe I am in any danger from him at all.”

Rahman, of Beaconsfield Street, Haslingden, had been locked up after admitting assault. He has a long record for assault and public order offences, has mental health problems and is on medication.

Sentencing him, Recorder Herman said: “This was, in my view, a life-threatening incident, which could have had terrible consequences. You have a dangerous and violent temper, often fuelled by drink and drugs."

Last Friday, Ms Raby asked the judge to remove the order, which she says is for the sake of the children and as she wanted to visit Rahman, described as a loving father, in prison.

Recorder Herman told Ms Raby she had come close to losing her life, adding: “Somebody who assaults the mother of his children in a way that endangers her life is not somebody who, in my view, truly has the children's interests at heart.”

“If he had held on to your throat much longer, you could have died. He could have been in prison for murder."

Ms Raby said Rahman had been an addict at the time, but was getting help.

Recorder Herman said: “It looks to me as if I have really no alternative.

“In light of the authorities and having heard evidence from Ms Raby I feel constrained to vary the sentence I passed, to remove the restraining order. But, I make it clear I do so for two reasons.

“Firstly, Ms Raby has very strongly argued that she’d like it removed and secondly the current state of the law, as I understand it, is that I have no powers to impose this order if the victim has the capacity to make decisions and has made it clear she doesn't want the protection of the restraining order.”