A control freak who left his girlfriend fearing she was about to die by strangling her has been jailed.
Dane Turnbull had become increasingly controlling and jealous and dictated who his partner could see and talk to while demeaning her abilities as a mother and girlfriend, threatening her with violence and calling her names on a daily basis.
After a drinking session last October, his emotional abuse turned physical when he pounced on her and gripped her throat so hard for around ten seconds she struggled to breathe. Now the 36-year-old, of Brinkburn Avenue, Gateshead, has been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court.
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The court heard the woman had been in a relationship with Turnbull for around six years and they have children together. Omar Ahmad, prosecuting, said: "She said the relationship was good at first but shortly after they had their first child he became controlling and excessively jealous and it escalated from verbal abuse to a violent incident.
"She describes she was emotionally abused by him every day and really struggled. He would call her names every day, he would control who she would see and talk to."
Turnbull would often make derogatory comments to her and threats, such as threatening to kill her or smash her teeth in.
In October last year they were at home together and Turnbull had been drinking throughout the afternoon and night. Mr Ahmad said: "The more drunk he was getting, his behaviour changed. He began arguing with her about a trivial matter.
"She tried to avoid the argument but she said he was, in her words, kicking off and trying to escalate the argument.
"She was on a mattress in the living room and he suddenly jumped on her, lying on top of her and grabbing her throat with his right hand, squeezing and gripping, causing her to struggle to breathe.
"He strangled her for about ten seconds. She tried to get up but he pushed her back down with his hand around her throat, pinning her down to prevent her getting up.
"He put his hand over her nose and mouth and pushed down to stop her struggling." She dug her nails into his chest and after a few minutes he got up and went outside for a cigarette. Police had been contacted by a neighbour who overheard it and he was arrested a few days later.
Mr Ahmad said: "The prosecution say his conduct was intended to humiliate and degrade the victim."
In a victim impact statement, the woman said she has been left constantly in fear and "jumpy" and scared of loud noises. She said he would "constantly remind her she was a rubbish mam to her children and that she had to do what he told her or there would be consequences".
She added: "I have a lot of anxiety. He always tried to make me think people were against me, including my own family. He has traumatised me so much.
"I'm fearful he could, one day, kill me. I'm scared this will have made him want to get me even more.
"He has controlled my movements for years and this is going to take a lot of time and support to work through. The difference in seeing my family again is huge.
"I want to restart having a relationship with my children and family, where I don't have to stay on Facetime to prove where I am and who I'm with. I want to be able to not live in fear of him any more."
Turnbull, 36, who has 31 previous convictions, including for domestic-related harassment and battery, pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour and intentional strangulation and was jailed for three years and three months and given a five-year restraining order.
Recorder Jonathan Sandiford KC told him, in relation to the strangulation: "It may only have lasted ten seconds but I've no doubt that was ten seconds in which she thought she was about to die at your hands.
"She now finds it difficult to have people close to her and she has major trust issues. Her self-esteem is damaged by the fact she was told, many times, she was a poor mother by you. She has been undermined as a mother, daughter and girlfriend.
"The court can send out the message this behaviour is dangerous and can easily result in death. It takes only a matter of seconds to strangle the life out of another human being.
"There is also the fear that's created and the use of it as a tool of control. Those people who strangle those they profess to love must expect to go to prison."
Jonathan Pigford, defending, said: "He expresses remorse and acknowledges he needs to undertake work." He added he has been doing well in prison and provided references to the court.
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