A MAN who strangled his girlfriend until she was unconscious as their terrified three-year-old daughter tried to drag him off her, was jailed for two years yesterday.

Lee James Fisher, 32, from Middlesbrough, left Ann Grant with injuries all over her body, but the couple were later reconciled and back living together, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Fisher had been drinking when he attacked her in their home, dragging her around by her legs, and hitting her head on a desk, before sitting on her as he strangled her with both hands, said Sarah Margree, prosecuting.

The court was told that Miss Grant forced herself not to scream or shout because it would make matters worse, while her daughter was crying "Don't Daddy, don't".

Miss Grant blacked out and when she regained consciousness, he was still sitting on her and the child was trying to pull him off.

Fisher took the child upstairs and Miss Grant fled to a friend's house, from where she was taken to hospital, Teesside Crown Court was told. She had a bite mark on her left ear and bruising around her neck.

Fisher, who was arrested the next day, made no reply when interviewed. He changed his plea to guilty at his trial after she gave evidence.

Miss Grant was in court when the judge, Recorder Rebecca Thornton, told him: "You inflicted grievous bodily harm on your partner in the presence of your three-year-old daughter as she was begging you to stop."

Fisher, of Tower Green, Middlesbrough, was jailed for two years after he pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on August 14.