A DRINK and drug-fuelled man who assaulted and strangled his former partner and smashed her window with a vodka bottle has been jailed for two and a half years.

Daniel Morley put both hands around the terrified woman’s throat and squeezed it during a prolonged attack at her Bradford home, before threatening her pregnant neighbour, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Morley, 31, of Freshfield Gardens, Allerton, Bradford, was sentenced on Thursday on a video link to HMP Leeds for five offences committed on July 18 and breach of a suspended sentence order made four months earlier.

Prosecutor Nicola Hoskins said he had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, non-fatal strangulation, common assault, criminal damage and possession of cannabis.

He was in breach of an eight-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, imposed on March 21 for breaching a non-molestation order made to protect the same woman.

Miss Hoskins said Morley and the woman had been drinking together at her home when he started shouting at her. He threw a bottle of vodka, smashing a window, and when she fled upstairs, he hurled an ornament belonging to her late mother at her. It struck her and smashed injuring her.

Morley then grabbed her throat and her arm but she broke free and ran from her address. He followed, punched her, put both hands around her throat and pushed her against a wall.

He then did it again before squaring up to her pregnant neighbour in a threatening manner.

Miss Hoskins said the incident lasted around 20 minutes and left the woman cut, bruised and with blood on her clothing.

Morley was arrested hiding in a wardrobe at the property and found to have cannabis on him.

Catherine Duffy said in mitigation that he sincerely regretted his behaviour and wished to apologise to his victim.

He had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and been remanded in custody for more than two months.

Morley had a difficult family background and had used cannabis and alcohol as a coping mechanism. He was now free of drink and drugs and planned to stay off them.

He had depression and anxiety that had got worse while he was remanded.

Recorder David Gordon said the victim had been left suffering from depression and loss of self-esteem. She was vulnerable because she was in her own home and it was a per-sistent attack while Morley was under the influence of drink and drugs.

The offences were aggravated by his previous convictions and the second breach of a non-molestation order to protect the same woman.

Morley, who had nine previous convictions for 13 offences, was jailed for 28 months. The eight-week suspended sentence was activated consecutively, making a total of 30 months.

A five-year restraining order bans him from contacting the woman and her neighbour and prevents him going near their homes or workplaces.