A VIOLENT boyfriend who choked his partner during a terrifying attack in her home told her: “The day you leave is the day you're going to die.”

The woman’s ordeal at the hands of 21-year-old Patrick Donoghue came to an end when police arrived at the property, at which point he told his victim she was 'nothing' without him, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

Donoghue, of London Road, Carlisle, admitted an assault causing actual bodily harm.

Gerard Rogerson, prosecuting, said the domestic violence incident happened on October 2 last year while the woman was with the defendant at her home.

When he became aggressive, she asked him to leave but he refused.

While screaming into her face at the top of the stairs, he grabbed hold of her and attempted to lift her up off the ground, saying he was going to throw her down the stairs. The woman prevented that by grabbing the bannisters.

She was then able to crawl into a bedroom but Donoghue continued to be violent.

Mr Rogerson said: “He trashed the room, pulling the mattress from the bed and smashing items before taking hold of her by the neck and slamming her to the floor and punching her around the face.”

While doing this, he maintained a 'tight hold' of her neck.

As this happened, the woman struggled to breathe and then began choking on the blood coming from her gums, said Mr Rogerson. It was at this point he made the comment about her dying if she left him.

The prosecutor said that, while pinned by her neck against a wall, she felt her airway closing and coughed up blood. When police arrived, the defendant told the woman: “Don’t be a clown: tell them nothing.”

Mr Rogerson said Donoghue had six previous offences on his record, including an assault on an emergency worker.

Judith McCullough, defending, said Donoghue had been in custody when he ‘celebrated’ his 21st birthday.

His first significant taste of jail, it had been a salutary lesson, said the barrister.

She said: “The defendant has now learned an important lesson… He pleaded guilty despite the unwillingness of the [victim] to support these proceedings and that shows he is prepared to take responsibility for what he has done.

“He is sorry.”

The defendant no longer wished to continue with what was a 'toxic relationship,' said Miss McCullough, adding that Donoghue was motivated to change.

Judge Richard Archer told the defendant: “The fact that this was an offence committed in a domestic context against a vulnerable young person is an aggravating factor."

Commenting on the violence, the judge said: “She would have been terrified.”

The assault was prolonged and persistent, said the judge, commenting on how Donoghue tried to minimise his violence when interviewed by a probation worker, saying: “It was just one punch.”

Judge Archer said: “It was far more than that and you know it was.”

In that probation interview, the defendant accused his victim of lying. Until he shows a willingness to address his offending he will pose a high risk of harm to his former partner and a medium risk of harm to the public, said the judge.

Judge Archer added: “In my judgement, there is no realistic prospect of rehabilitation because you are not accepting the need for it.”

He jailed Donoghue for 15 months. The defendant was originally charged with three additional offences - making a threat to kill, a common assault, and false imprisonment. He denied all three allegations.

Those charges were not proceeded with by the prosecution and Donoghue was declared not guilty of those allegations.