A man, identified as Paul Ashurst, threatened and physically assaulted a woman in her residence after meeting her at a pub. The incident unfolded when the woman, who was accompanied by her partner, left with Ashurst following a disagreement with her spouse.
Upon reaching the woman’s home, Ashurst made unwanted advances towards her, which she resisted. Despite her objections, Ashurst menacingly warned her, stating “I could snap your neck,” instilling fear in her. The situation escalated as the woman attempted to contact her partner, leading Ashurst to strangle her. In a bid to defend herself, she retaliated by clawing at his face, causing an injury.
During the court proceedings, Amber Hobson, the prosecutor at Hull Crown Court, described the sequence of events. Ashurst pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, resulting in an 18-month suspended prison sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work, and a five-year restraining order.
The court learned that Ashurst, residing in Southcoates, Hull, had prior convictions for assault and assaulting a police officer. However, despite his criminal history, he managed to avoid incarceration for the recent offense against the woman, which was only halted when she fought back and sought help from a neighbor.
In his defense, Ashurst’s lawyer, Oliver Shipley, highlighted that the incident occurred during a night out and emphasized Ashurst’s efforts to address his alcohol problem by wearing a monitoring tag. Shipley asserted that Ashurst had maintained good behavior recently.
This case draws parallels with a similar incident involving Cavan Hughes, who strangled his partner in Lancashire after a prolonged period of abuse. Hughes was sentenced to jail, with his victim recounting the emotional and physical toll of the relationship.
