A barber pinned his girlfriend down by her throat when she refused to cuddle him, a court heard.
Paul Miller, 33, attacked the woman in her own home in Royal Wootton Bassett on 27 September last year.
Today (23 May), prosecutor Tom Power told Swindon Magistrates’ Court how the defendant came back to her address after drinking and got into bed with her.
He pestered her for a cuddle, but she refused because he was intoxicated. In response, Miller violently pinned her down on the bed by holding her throat.
His victim attempted to get up from the attack, but he pulled her hair and pinned her down again.
In the woman’s statement, she described how Miller was following her around the house in the morning – trying to apologise for the assault.
At a previous hearing, the court heard that the woman was pregnant at the time of the incident.
Representing himself, he said he was not currently working but is due to return to work at Guy’s Barber Shop in Drove Road, Swindon, in the coming weeks.
Barber Miller said he usually earns £250-£300 weekly but pays £200-a-week in chair rent.
District Judge Joanna Dickens said domestic abuse is “usually to do with power” and labelled the offence as a “serious incident” because of the involvement of strangulation.
She imposed a 24-month community order – consisting of a 29-day building better relationships programme and an alcohol treatment requirement.
