A 54-YEAR-old man from Evesham who strangled a woman three times has been given a suspended jail sentence. 

James Thould of Lingfield Road, Evesham, had claimed he did it only once but dropped that version of events ahead of sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court. 

The offences date back to 23rd July last year.

Thould had pleaded guilty to offences of assaulting the woman by beating, intentionally strangling her and criminally damaging her clothing, valued at £400. 

At court last week a trial of issue was arranged so that the court could decide between two versions of events - the woman's account that Thould strangled her three times and his claim that he strangled her only once, and then accidentally.

The trial of issue was to have taken place on August 8 but, at the last minute, with the heavily pregnant victim waiting at court to be called into the witness box, Thould did not persist with his version of the incident and accepted the prosecution case.

Judge Rupert Lowe sentenced Thould on a 'full facts basis' to 20 months jail suspended for two years.