A MAN has avoided jail despite assaulting and strangling his former partner.

Lee Horsfield appeared at Chester Crown Court for sentencing on Monday (February 27), after pleading guilty to assaulting and intentionally strangling his then girlfriend.

Counsel for the prosecution, Sion Ap Mihangel, told the court that on the evening of Saturday, October 8, 2022, Horsfield and his partner had been drinking at the George and Dragon pub on Delamere Street in Winsford.

Both drank 'a considerable amount', but Horsfield, who the victim clamed ‘was in a bad mood', left before she did, returning to the home they shared on Wharton Road, where he still lives.

Later that evening, the victim was given a lift home by one of Horsfield’s friends.

When the she arrived home, she told Horsfield his friend had made advances towards her on the ride home, which caused Horsfield to become angry with her.

Neither Horsfield nor his partner have clear memories of what happened next, but in her police statement, the victim said she remembered being on the floor with his hands around her throat, and she was struggling to breathe.

She then recalls a sharp pain in her face, and at some point, going to a mirror and taking photographs of her injuries, which included a split lip.

The victim called Horsfield’s sister, who came to the house, along with members of the victim’s family. At this point, it is understood Horsfield kicked a drum at the victim, causing a further injury to her foot.

Text messages sent by the couple after the event, which were seen by the police, confirmed jealously was the motive for the assault.   

Horsfield has seven convictions for 12 offences, but non for violence.

Counsel for the defence, Max Saffman, said that apart from a drink driving conviction, the 41-year-old had not been before the court since serving 12 months of a two-year sentence for dealing drugs in 2012.

He also said Horsfield had shown ‘complete remorse and complete contrition for what he had done,’ drawing the court’s attention to a text message he had sent to the victim just hours after the offence, which said, ‘I have done the unspeakable’.

He added that at the time of the offence, Horsfield was dealing with news of the terminal illness of his father, and was ‘looking for someone to blame'.

Since the offence, said Mr Saffman, Horsfield’s alcohol use has ‘been much reduced, as he knows this is his problem’.  

Passing sentence, Recorder Kate Blackwell, said: “Lee Horsfield, you are 41 years old, and much of your adult life has been plagued by alcohol related problems.

“I accept that you have expressed some level of contrition, and that these offences were out of character for you, as you do not have mentions of violence on your record.”

“I do see in you a real prospect of being rehabilitated, and it will be for this reason, as well as for the sake of those you are responsible for, if I see fit to suspend any custodial sentence.”

Horsfield was sentenced to 12 months in prison for each of the two offences, to be served concurrently, suspended for two years.

He must also attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, to include a ‘building better relationships’ programme, and complete 100 hours unpaid work.

He must also refrain from drinking alcohol for 120 days.

The court also imposed a restraining order, meaning he must not contact the victim or go near her home.