A dad-of-two strangled his sister unconscious when a family feud turned violent.
Peter Scott picked Jeanette Rice up by the neck and hurled her to the ground in a shameful attack. The 49-year-old shouted "I'm going to kill you, you f***ing c***" as he choked her until she passed out.
Liverpool Crown Court heard Ms Rice had gone to her mum Jean Scott's home in Northumberland Street, Toxteth to take her out for tea. But when she beeped her car horn to alert her mum she was outside, there was no response.
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Gareth Bellis, prosecuting, said Ms Rice let herself in via the back door into a kitchen, only to be met by her brother, at 5.30pm on October 28 last year. He pushed her out with one arm and shouted "get out".
Mr Bellis said: "Mr Scott at this stage has picked Ms Rice up by the neck and thrown her to the floor, before leaning over her and strangling her with both hands around her throat. Mr Scott was shouting 'I'm going to kill you, you f***ing c***'.
"Ms Rice says she lost consciousness. The next thing she remembers is looking up to see Mr Scott back in the doorway to the house, staring at her."
Photos showed bruises to the victim's neck. She got back in her car and drove away, before she spotted her mum walking home.
Ms Rice told her mum she had been attacked by her brother and rang the police. Officers went to her house and found her tearful and "scared".
Five minutes after the attack, Scott called his other sister, Lisa Hewitt, and admitted he had strangled Ms Rice. But when police arrested him at Home Bargains where he worked in the early hours of October 29, he replied: "I don't know what you're on about."
When interviewed, Scott told police he had not seen Ms Rice since August and couldn't think why she had made the allegation. He said he was at his mum's home, but his sister hadn't visited.
Scott denied assault causing actual bodily harm up until the opening day of a trial. He changed his plea to guilty after the victim, her mum and sister attended to give evidence.
He has nine previous convictions for 17 offences, but had been out of trouble since 2005. Mr Bellis said none of his old convictions were relevant.
Ms Rice was left feeling "vulnerable", worried about repercussions and "very scared" at the thought of seeing her brother. She said: "I can't shake the feeling that he didn't care about what he did and I could have died."
Ms Rice said her neck was sore for around six weeks and she was now "constantly anxious" and considering security measures. Mr Bellis said: "She is not comfortable leaving the house alone."
Desmond Lennon, defending, said his client had references from his supervisor at Home Bargains and his friend, the Labour councillor for Riverside ward Steve Munby. Mr Lennon said Scott's best mitigation was he pleaded guilty "albeit at a very late stage" and spared his family the ordeal of a trial.
He said: "There has clearly been a significant fall out between the defendant and the complainant. It appears to originate from a remark made by one of his daughters in respect to the complainant's daughter. As a consequence, the parties really had very little to do with each other...
"The defendant behaved in a way which in some respects is quite inexplicable. He appears to have lost his temper. He was violent to his sister, he was threatening to her. Bad feeling appears to have caused this and resentment, building up over a number of years."
Mr Lennon added: "He is completely sorry and ashamed for what took place. He says there is no excuse for his behaviour."
The lawyer said Scott had regular contact with two daughters following the breakdown of a marriage and a good work record as a forklift truck driver for TJ Morris, who own Home Bargains. He said if Scott was jailed he would lose his job and his children would be "greatly affected".
Recorder Michelle Brown accepted there was a "history of discord" between Scott and Ms Rice "over comments made in the past". The judge said: "I'm satisfied this would have been an extremely distressing incident for her.
"She suffered no lasting physical injuries, but her emotional ones will be with her for some time. I have no doubt about that."
Recorder Brown said: "I note from the pre-sentence report you have demonstrated little insight into the impact the offence has had on your sister. But you have expressed your remorse and shame through your counsel today, which I accept."
The judge said references showed Scott was "clearly held in high esteem" by his employer and friends. The Probation Service considered him a low risk of offending generally, but a "high risk" to Ms Rice, particularly if he failed to address his attitude towards her.
Recorder Brown said she was "just" persuaded to spare him jail. She said it was "one offence in the context of a family dispute" and "the public would be better served by you addressing your behaviour".
The judge handed him 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, with a 30-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 200 hours of unpaid work, and a five-year restraining order.
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