The behaviour of a violent, drunken thug who attacked his girlfriend after she twice confronted him about wetting the bed following a boozed-up night out has been branded ‘appalling and shameful’.

On both occasions, Lewis Theasby grabbed the woman and threw her on the bed before attempting to strangle her.

The 21-year-old carried out the second assault while he was on bail for the first violent outburst, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Matthew Hopkins, prosecuting, said the defendant called his girlfriend to pick him up from the pub on October 28 last year before becoming aggressive and abusive in the car.

Read next: Eight arrests made as police carry out specialist raids on North East properties

“He was very drunk, he was so drunk that he wet the bed,” he said. “She tried to get him out of the bedroom before leaving.

"He dragged her back into the bedroom, flung her on the bed, wrapped his arm around her before turning her over and forcing her face into the mattress for several seconds.

“She manages to break free but he grabs her around the neck and squeezes hard – it lasts for about one minute. He said ‘I’m going to kill you. I want to die’.”

The court heard how the defendant was arrested following the incident but repeated his behaviour less than a week later – again while he was drunk.

Mr Hopkins said that on the second occasion, Theasby tried to pull the handbrake on the case while his girlfriend drove and told her that he ‘wanted to kill them both’.

He said the defendant wet the bed again when he got home before assaulting his girlfriend and strangling her again.

The court heard how the defendant had also assaulted a police officer when they were called to an address in Hartlepool and arrested him on October 28, 2021.

Theasby, of Joicey Court, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to two assault charges, two charges of non-fatal strangulation and assault on an emergency worker.

Gary Wood, mitigating, said his client had served the equivalent of an 18-month prison sentence while on remand after strangling his girlfriend twice.

He added: “Alcohol appears to be a large problem for him.”

Read next:

​Get more from The Northern Echo with a Premium Plus digital subscription from as little as only £1.50 a week. Click here

Recorder Paul Reid branded Theasby’s behaviour as ‘appalling’ and told him he should be ‘ashamed’ of himself as he issued him with a three-year community order.

“Your behaviour was appalling, disgusting and utterly unacceptable,” he said. “Hopefully, you will realise how shameful this is and it will not be repeated.”

Theasby was also ordered to wear a sobriety tag for 60 days, take part in a nine-month alcohol treatment programme, attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.