A MAN strangled his on/off girlfriend before he repeatedly punched her after he’d been on an all-day drinking session.

Michael Rice, from Newport, attacked her in her home after she told him to get out of her house because of the state he was in.

Gareth James, prosecuting, told the city’s crown court: “The victim said the defendant started drinking at midday on April 24 last year.

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“In the evening they both went to the Out Out pub in the Maindee area of Newport.

“She said the defendant had drank lager during the day before moving on to spirits later on.

“When they went back to her house, he was highly intoxicated and she later asked him to leave.”

It was then that Rice assaulted her.

“The defendant grabbed her by the throat with both hands and strangled her for about five to 10 seconds," Mr James said.

“She felt intense pain and in order to stop him she scrammed him.

“He then proceeded to choke her and he punched her to the left side of her face.

“There were repeated blows to her face.”

The woman managed to throw him out before she called the police.

She suffered swelling to her eye and a cut lip.

Rice, aged 37, of Elan Close, Bettws, Newport, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Laurence Jones, representing Rice, said: “The defendant is deeply ashamed of his behaviour and wants me to apologise.”

His barrister told the court his client had spent the equivalent of a 14-month jail sentence after being recalled to prison on licence for driving offences.

Rice’s conduct was “uncharacteristic” as he has no previous convictions for violence.

The defendant has been offered a job with Asda which is due to start next week, Mr Jones added.

The judge, Recorder Andrew Hammond, told Rice: “This was a very nasty incident.

“It must have been a truly terrifying experience for your victim.

“The offence is aggravated by the fact that you were drunk at the time and that it occurred in a domestic context.”

Rice was jailed for 12 months and ordered to pay £250 compensation to the victim.