A MAN throttled his ex and stamped on her after pushing, throwing or dragging her down a flight of stairs.

James Arnold was convicted of the attack on his former partner in Worcester following a trial.

The 35-year-old carried out the attack at Greenfields Close in the city, the address where he then lived.

The couple had been in a relationship until April 2019 but they had continued to see each other until what Judge James Burbidge QC called 'the fateful day' of November 27, 2019 when the assault took place.

Arnold of Windmill Close, Worcester, had been convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on November 26 last year.

The defendant, of previous good character, was spared jail by Judge Burbidge following a sentencing hearing at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday.

Judge Burbidge said the victim remembered being dragged to the stairs from the bed before she found herself at the bottom of the stairs, near the front door.

He said: "She believes she was thrown, pushed or pulled. She could not remember. She remembers the feeling of strangling to the throat, pressure to her throat, and being stamped on. There were certainly injuries put before the jury consistent with that. She was adamant she was stamped on. Mercifully she did not suffer significant physical injuries."

A victim personal statement was read out by Tom Kenning, prosecuting. She described how the assault had had 'a massive effect on my mental health and my anxiety', how she had suffered 'many sleepless nights' and had been asked by people at work to seek medical attention because her concentration had been affected.

"I'm fearful of going out and do not like going out on my own," she said.

The attack was also said by her to have had a financial impact because she needed to have four days off work due to the injuries she sustained.

Mr Kenning submitted that the offence was in the higher culpability 'because of the strangulation'.

Andrew Davidson, defending, said the attack was 'completely out of character' and that Arnold's father, who had supported him at the trial, had died on Thursday.

He said: "The postmortem is tomorrow. They don't know when the funeral is. He's distracted but he does want to get this (the sentence) out of the way."

Mr Davidson also said Arnold had 'tried his best' help her with 'all her problems and issues' before the assault.

Judge Burbidge sentenced Arnold to eight months in prison suspended for nine months. "I'm satisfied, as Mr Davidson said, that we will not see you again," he said. He also ordered him to pay £600 in compensation for the injuries to the victim and the damage caused to her mobile phone.

Costs of £1,000 were imposed (the Crown had requested £2,800) and Arnold was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.