A man attacked and strangled his partner after having a row over household chores.
Nicholas Rose subjected his former girlfriend to violent attacks between March and August, last year, and would strangle and punch her. The 24-year-old's attacks became so common, his partner resorted to shaving her head so that he could no longer grab hold of it during assaults.
Rose, of Church Street, Shildon, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced for counts of assault by beating and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Jonathan Gittins, prosecuting, said the couple had been in a relationship and had moved in together in February, last year, and were living in Newton Aycliffe - but Rose became violent around April.
Read more: Hitler-obsessed Newcastle neo-Nazi had child abuse images as well as right wing terrorist material
Mr Gittins said: "On one day in April, the defendant walked into the living room and shouted at her about household chores. He placed his hands around her throat and squeezed for around five to 10 seconds. He then punched her to the face around three to four times but caused no physical injury."
Weeks later, Rose again attacked the woman following an argument over chores. Mr Gittins added: "He dragged her off the sofa by her hair and sat on top of her and strangled her for seconds at a time. The complainant struggled to breathe and had an asthma attack before the defendant pushed her on the sofa and strangled her before dragging her across the floor by her hair."
The court heard that the woman was briefly knocked unconscious and was bleeding at the time.
Mr Gittins said that the woman resorted to shaving her head, to "stop any further grabbing in future". Rose attacked the woman again in August and only stopped after a dog bit him on the leg. On August 22, another argument ensued over a washing machine, he again "squeezed her throat" to the point the woman stopped breathing. Fortunately, she managed to run to the bathroom where the police were called. While on the phone, Rose again grabbed her neck and pushed her face into a mirror.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said she felt "totally helpless" and suffers from anxiety and depression as a result of Rose's violence.
Ashleigh Leach, defending, said Rose has "gender transitioning issues" and is female-to-male transgender and is "due to complete surgery to fully transition later this year." She said that an immediate custodial sentence would have "significant difficulties" for him. Ms Leach said Rose claimed that the woman shaved her head for "cancer research" purposes and that the relationship was "wholly toxic". She added that due to Rose transitioning, he has been taking testosterone, something Ms Leach said "may have impacted his levels of aggression".
Sentencing him, Recorder Benjamin Nolan QC, said: "All the serious offences seem to have involved you strangling, or attempting to strangle her. A pre-sentence report discloses a number of interesting aspects of this case.
"At the time you were transitioning your gender from female to male, I expect you were using testosterone for that purpose and that may well have been playing a significant part in your aggressive behaviour."
Recorder Nolan said Rose also suffers from mental health problems and "emotional difficulties".
He added: "I am seriously concerned about how you would cope with a custodial sentence and I take the view you would be a potential victim yourself in prison, which would have an impact upon your mental health." Rose was given a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years and must carry out 30 rehabilitation activity days. A five year restraining order was also imposed.
