Bolton: Man avoids jail after 'shameful' assault on partner

Kyle Barrick, 32, assaulted and strangled the woman after an argument broke out over him demanding to be given a lift home from the pub.

Bolton Crown Court heard how the argument erupted after the woman eventually agreed to pick Barrick up and on getting home he started shouting.

Katie Walden, prosecuting, said: “She told him to move, to which he responded ‘go on then, hit me’, to which she said she would not do that.”

Ms Walden told the court that Barrick punched his victim and put his hands around her neck for around a minute saying he would kill her.

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

He also told her, Ms Walden said, to “go and jump off a bridge.”

The victim was eventually able to get to a friends’ flat and call the police.

When the police arrived Barrick, of Westwood Close, Farnworth, fully admitted what he had done both at the scene and when interviewed.

He pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm when brought before the magistrates court.

But the court heard how probation officers had been concerned about the apparent “lack of victim empathy” he had shown when they spoke to him.

Kate Morley, defending, accepted that the report prepared by probation “doesn’t read particularly well at times” but said he now “accepts responsibility.”

She said: “He’s taken steps to atone for his frankly despicable behaviour.”

She added: “In his own words he knows it sounds bad and he’s sorry for what he did.”

Ms Morley said that Barrick, who has no previous convictions, was judged as posing a low risk of committing any further crimes.

She said he was in full time work and was “determined to do all he can to change.”

But Recorder Jon Close reminded the court of just how serious Barrick’s “quite shameful” actions had been.

He said: “That must have been absolutely terrifying because it lasted not just seconds, it dragged on and on and on.”

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He added: “It is difficult to understate just how wrong it was and just how wicked it was.”

But Recorder Close said he was “just and only just” persuaded to suspend Barrick’s jail sentence.

He sentenced Barrick to a total of 14 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Recorder Close also ordered him to complete a building better relationships programme, 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.