Woman left traumatised after vicious attack by boyfriend | Preston Crown Court

A distraught girlfriend attempted to take her own life three times in the aftermath of a vicious assault by her partner, a judge in Preston was told.

The woman suffered severe emotional trauma after Daniel McDonald threw her to the floor and then tried to strangle her in a drunken rage, the city’s Crown Court was told.

McDonald, 42, appeared before Recorder Geoffrey Lowe for sentence after admitting assault causing actual bodily harm. But he was spared an immediate prison term after his lawyer said he was “ashamed and devastated” by what he had done after a boozy night out.

Instead Recorder Lowe gave him a 20-month jail sentence suspended for two years and imposed a restraining order banning him from making any contact with his now ex-partner for the next 10 years.

The court heard the couple had been together for four years when the attack happened in May 2024. They had been out drinking and had gone to the Crown Inn on Greave Road, Bacup, where McDonald took exception to his partner talking to another man in the bar.

Back at her house the pair continued arguing before McDonald grabbed hold of her and threw her onto a sofa and then on to the floor. He pinned her to the floor and put one hand on her neck.

Barrister Emma Swindell, prosecuting, said the woman was struggling to breathe as McDonald kept on shouting and screaming. She could not remember what happened after that or how long he had been squeezing her neck, but eventually she freed herself and left.

At first she declined to give police a statement about the assault, but later agreed to support the prosecution and had photographs taken of the bruising around her neck and throat.

In a victim impact statement she said her mental health had suffered and told the court she had trouble sleeping and had constant flashbacks to the assault. She said she suffered from anxiety and depression and felt emotional all the time.

Ms Swindell said she suffered from suicidal thoughts and had made three attempts to take her own life, ending up needing hospital treatment.

The incident had had a negative impact on relationships with people and her social life. She had lost friends and now felt isolated. She found interaction with men difficult.

• If you are impacted by any of the issues highlighted in this article, help is at hand in confidence via Samaritans.

Alex Bennie, representing McDonald, of Oaklands Drive, Rawtenstall, said his client had not approached the woman since the incident two years ago and had no intention of doing so. Prior to this relationship he had been married for 15 years and had not displayed any violent tendencies towards his ex-wife or any misogynist attitudes in all that time.

Reflecting on the assault on his partner Mr Bennie said McDonald had read the victim impact statement on the day he was due to stand trial and had decided to plead guilty to assault. He was “ashamed and devastated” and admitted it was a “wake-up call” for him to look at his behaviour.

“This is the first time he has appeared before a court for something of this nature and it was so out of character,” he added.

Recorder Lowe said something had happened in the pub which had made McDonald unhappy. “During the argument (back at her house) you snapped and grabbed her by the throat, threw her onto the sofa and (then) threw her onto the floor. You pinned her to the ground with one hand to her neck. She was struggling to breathe, and you kept shouting and screaming at her.

“Her memory of what happened is limited, but somehow it ended. She went outside and she contacted the police. I have seen the body-worn camera footage of the exchange between her and the police officers.”

“This occurred in a domestic setting and when you were very drunk. It has had a substantial impact on the victim. Fortunately, the physical injuries were just bruising. Unpleasant and painful as they were this was not the most serious assault.

“But it has had an impact on her. Her mental health has been substantially affected by depression and anxiety, her social life has been affected.

“Three times she tried to take her own life, which required treatment in hospital. It has had a profound impact upon your victim.

“Strangulation is regarded as a very serious matter because in only a very few seconds it can lead to unconsciousness, and a few more seconds it can result in death. That is why it is regarded as a serious offence.

“You have shown remorse for your actions that evening. Your relationship with your children has been damaged by this.”

Recorder Lowe added that in his opinion, because of excessive alcohol abuse, McDonald had been affected by his drinking that night.

In addition to the suspended prison sentence and restraining order, he ordered McDonald to undergo a 90-day alcohol abstinence course. He also has to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days, take part in a Building Choices programme and complete 120 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay £600 towards court costs.

“This was a serious matter,” he told McDonald. “If you didn’t appreciate that on the night, you certainly do now. This on your record, this counts in future. You don’t get a second chance.”