Colne man called partner a 'sl*g' in vile verbal tirade

Oscar Hope, 27, had been in a relationship with his victim for around two years, and they had a small child together.

Preston Crown Court heard however that throughout the pregnancy, their relationship had been tumultuous, and Hope had spent a lot of time drinking.

Matthew Conway, prosecuting, said at around 6.40am on March 3, Hope had entered the bedroom after drinking throughout the night and instigated an altercation.

Oscar Hope (Image: Lancs Police)

Mr Conway told the court: “There were two children present in the house and he began asking his partner whether she had cheated on him.

“He then went to the kitchen and took a knife and started to cut his wrists drawing blood.

“One of the children began crying and he went to tend to that child.

“He then came downstairs to where his partner was and told her everyone thought she was a slag, and he was going to get her child taken away from her.”

Mr Conway said the victim then went to adjust the curtain, but Hope asked her who she was looking at and pulled the curtains and the rail from the wall completely.

Mr Conway went on: “He then gripped her by the neck and slapped her to the face, before pinning her to the wall.

“She was struggling to breathe so struck out and hit him to the side of the head.

“She managed to get away and locked herself in the bathroom and called the police.

“When she left the bathroom a short while later, she asked one of the children where Hope was and the child told her he had left.”

Hope was arrested later that day and when interviewed provided no comment.

In mitigation for Hope, of Gordon Street, Colne, barrister James Heyworth said: “This is a one-off, out of character incident.

“The defendant has a groundwork business and ultimately the cause of his behaviour has been alcohol.”

Hope pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and criminal damage and was jailed for 16 months.