A WINCHESTER man who strangled a woman because he thought she was being unfaithful has received a suspended sentence.

Liam Woods, 21, carried out a sustained assault on his now-former partner at the Travelodge in Winchester, a court heard.

The woman told of her terror, saying she thought she was going to die.

In a victim impact statement the woman, aged 17 at the time of the attack, said: "This incident has left me feeling scared for my life. In my life I have experienced a lot of scarey things. This is the worst I have suffered and has affected my mental health. I thought I was going to be killed. I don't know how I feel, as it doesn't seem real."

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Sentencing at Winchester Crown Court, Judge Paul Dugdale told a tearful, shaking Woods that had he been older he would have jailed him.

The court heard that Woods, his partner had gone to Travelodge on the High Street taken a room and drank a large amount of alcohol.

The judge said: "You said you were jealous and thought she was cheating. It is none of your business. Other people can do what they like, have a relationship with other people, sleep with other people, it doesn't give you justification to strangle them. Other people are not property; you don't own someone because you are having sex with them.

Hampshire Chronicle: Winchester Travelodge

"It was a nasty violent attack. What is strange is that it is out of character for you. You don't have a record and don't strike one as violent."

The judge added that Woods has no right to look through a person's telephone, see who they have been speaking to and asking them if they have been sex with that person: "It is none of your business. Stop being paranoid and stop taking it so seriously."

He jailed Woods for nine months but suspended it for 18 months, ordered him to do 150 hours unpaid work with up to 30 days rehabilitation activity. He imposed a restraining order banning Woods from seeing or contacting the woman for ten years. The court heard they have not seen each other since.

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After she heard that Woods would not be jailed, the victim left the public gallery in tears.

Woods, of Highcliffe Road, Highcliffe, who worked at Mcdonald's for three years, had denied assault causing actual bodily harm but was convicted after a trial in April.

He had admitted criminal damage hurling a chair and damaging a wall at the Travelodge.

Mitigating, Francisca da Costa said Woods was immature and at the time thought she was being unfaithful.

"There are concerns about how he will deal with a custodial sentence, how he will cope in that environment, he has had mental health difficulties in the past."

After the sentencing Woods's mother in the public gallery thanked the judge.