A 22-year-old accused his ex-partner of seeing other men before pulling a knife on her and strangling her for 10 seconds while she lay on a bed.

Richard Lawrey appeared at Burnley Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to intentional strangulation and common assault, but managed to avoid a custodial sentence.

Prosecuting, Stephen Parker told the court that on August 6, Lawrey, whose relationship with his victim, the mother of his child, ended around December last year, sent her a Snapchat asking if he could go round to her house.

Mr Parker said: “They had a discussion about the defendant wanting to spend more time with his daughter, and while they were in the bedroom, her phone began vibrating and the defendant asked to see it.

“Out of fear, the victim gave him her phone and he left the room with it.

“Shortly after he returned and jumped on the bed and put his hands around her throat for around 10 to 15 seconds.

“He called her a ‘f*****g slag’ as when he had looked at the phone, he had seen lots of messages from other men.”

Mr Parker said Lawrey then let go of his victim’s neck and went to his rucksack and produced a knife.

He shouted to her: “I don’t know whether to punch your f*****g lights out or stab you, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

Mr Parker went on: “His demeanour then changed and he became emotional and began crying but refused to let her leave the bedroom and spent the next hour in there with her looking through her phone.”

Lawrey was arrested and admitted the offences but Mr Parker said the account provided to police of the incident differed to that of his victim’s.

He went on: “As a result she suffered sleepless nights and has now had to increase her anxiety medication.

"She had to take a week off work because of the attack and had bruises on her neck, ribs and nose.”

Defending Lawrey, of Holme Street, Bacup, Adam White said his client had no previous offences but had been struggling with his mental health and would benefit from a building better relationships course.

Recorder Benjamin Nolan KC said: “This was an extremely frightening episode for her and a dangerous episode – and recent research proves without doubt that strangulation, for however long, can prove fatal.

“Not only that but you produced a knife during the assault.”

Lawrey was handed 12 months in jail suspended for two years and must complete a building better relationships programme as well as completing 10 rehabilitation activity days.

He was also made subject to a five year restraining order in respect of his victim.