A MAN who choked his on-off partner and dragged her by the hair has been spared immediate jail.

Judge Tony Briggs said Gareth Metcalfe had already served the equivalent of an eight month jail sentence while on remand in custody.

The judge also said Metcalfe had tried in the past to stay out of trouble – there being a seven-year gap on his lengthy record.

The 37-year-old of Bolsover Road, Stockton, was convicted following a trial of assault by beating and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as breaching a restraining order imposed on him in September 2016.

Prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, Emma Atkinson said Metcalfe became argumentative with the victim and attacked her telling her he hated her and wanted to kill her.

The defendant got on top of the woman, choking her throat, ignoring pleas to stop, and punched her to the face and body.

He also dragged her around by her hair.

The victim, who said she was scared she would be killed, had earlier given Metcalfe some of her benefit money.

John Nixon, mitigating, said the vast majority of Metcalfe’s 34 convictions occurred many years ago.

Mr Nixon said: “He would be willing to work with the probation service and grasp any opportunity with both hands.”

Judge Briggs called the assaults committed in October last year “disgraceful”.

He suspended a 15-month jail sentence for two years and said he would attend a domestic violence relationship course.

The restraining order was extended a further two years.