Man sentenced to jail in ACT Supreme Court for choking, threat to kill

In September an ACT Supreme Court jury found the man guilty of two counts of choking, and one charge each of threatening to kill and breaching a family violence order.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and stood trial.

Justice Geoffrey Kennett sentenced the man, who has not been named to protect the victim's identity, in December to four-and-a-half years jail time with a non-parole period of two years and 10 months.

Police facts state that in September 2021, shortly after the couple went to bed the offender started muttering, saying "I hate you, I hate you" and pushed the victim off the mattress.

In court, the victim gave evidence saying the man stood up and punched her in the head before putting one or both of his hands on her neck as a "warning".

Police claim several hours later, he told the woman to "get out" but grabbed her from behind while she was opening the front door.

The pair fell through the door and the woman crawled several metres along the ground, before grabbing onto a pergola pole.

The man placed two hands around her neck and tried to pull her off the pole and drag her back towards the house. Police claim the victim could not breathe.

The offender then put one hand under her arm while keeping the other against her throat.

While giving evidence, the woman said shouted for help before seeing a light come on across the road.

She claims the offender said words to the effect of "That's it. You're f---ed. I am dragging you back inside right now, and you are dead. The police are coming, we're both gonna die tonight".

When the man went back into the house, the woman escaped and ran across the road where the neighbours called the police.

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A victim impact statement tendered to the court states the woman spent three months in motel accommodation after the offender was granted bail in September 2021.

She said frequent relocation resulted in poor sleep, the need to throw out sentimental items, and caused strain on her relationship with her daughter.

In sentencing, Justice Kennett found the victim's use of emergency accommodation was a "foreseeable consequence".

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