A MAN who had become jealous over his girlfriend's lesbian past throttled her in a bid to kill her, a court heard.

Steven Wallace flew into a rage with Wendy Brown after telling her that their relationship was over.

The defendant had befriended Ms Brown while she was living in a women's hostel in Hartlepool, and she later moved into his flat.

Richard Newbury, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court that the mother-of-two had suffered domestic violence in a previous relationship with a woman, which she escaped from.

He said Ms Brown initially did not reveal to Mr Wallace her "lesbian past" and when she eventually did it became a cause of friction.

This was particularly so when Ms Brown would receive text messages from her former partner, which made Mr Wallace jealous.

On November 15 last year, Mr Wallace offered to buy Ms Brown an engagement ring, which she accepted.

The couple went drinking at the Sports Bar, in Hartlepool, and witnesses described him as being violent and aggressive.

When both arrived back at the flat, Mr Wallace unleashed a "barrage of abuse".

The commotion was heard by neighbours who heard the defendant shouting angrily, while the complainant was crying and sounded in pain.

In her account, Ms Brown said Mr Wallace grabbed her hair and banged her head against a wall.

He then pushed her to the floor, kicked her in the ribs and punched her in the face while telling her he was going to kill her.

Mr Newbury said: "The defendant grabbed her throat with both hands and she described how he pressed all of his body weight through his hands onto her throat.

"She could not breathe and was unable to struggle free. She lapsed in and out of consciousness and eventually blacked out."

He added: "It is the Crown's case that the defendant was attempting to kill her."

He said Mr Wallace had at first refused to take Ms Brown to hospital for treatment, but agreed to do so when she promised not to tell them of his part in the attack.

Mr Wallace, 40, of Church Street, Hartlepool, denies the attempted murder of 30-year-old Ms Brown.

Later, Ms Brown gave evidence to the trial, but denied the account she had given to police, claiming she had lied.

The trial continues.