A MAN who throttled his girlfriend’s throat until she struggled for breath has been jailed.

In the same incident Gregory Robert Marshall, 30, punched the woman in the face whilst pinning her to her bed and calling her “slut”, “slag” and “whore”, heard York Crown Court.

He had confiscated her phone, refused to let her socialise without him and on an earlier occasion had knocked her to the ground with a single blow, said Martin Robertshaw, prosecuting.

The victim told police: “I feel as if I am living on eggshells when he is around.”

Marshall has previous convictions for violence including attacking a previous girlfriend with a metal bar after sending her threatening letters, and for breaking his sister’s ex-boyfriend’s jaw in two places.

Marshall, of Hull Road, York, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm, assault and criminal damage to the victim’s car. He had been on a community order at the time for £6,000 vandalism to three motorbikes by throwing tiles at them from a nearby roof.

He was made subject to a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting the victim of his latest offences and jailed for 19 months for all offences.

For Marshall, Sean Smith said he had been receiving medication for psychosis until October and had said he was hearing voices.

“The psychiatric team will work with him in prison and there will be rehabilitative courses in prison,” said the defence barrister.

Marshall’s behaviour was also affected by drink. He accepted his latest relationship was over.

Mr Robertshaw said on August 25, the day of the first assault, Marshall kicked in the victim’s car windscreen.

Afterwards, he persuaded the victim to take him back and on November 25, after drinking to celebrate his birthday, he had carried out the more serious offence which left her with a black eye, swollen left side of the face and other injuries.