AN Irvine man choked his girlfriend until she became faint, a court heard.

Connor Robert Chambers, 25, of Pladda Avenue, appeared from custody at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week and pled guilty to three charges.

Chambers and some friends had returned to his girlfriend’s Irvine home in the early hours of March 12 after being at Pitcher’s nightclub.

It was noted that earlier in the evening, Chambers “was under the influence of alcohol and seemed to be in a bad mood for whatever reason”.

Chambers told his partner he was going to leave, to which she replied that he could leave if he wanted to.

He lunged forward, took hold of her, pulled her towards him and pushed her to the floor.

She fled upstairs.

Later, the woman found a friend trying to calm Chambers down in the kitchen and asked them both to leave. 

Chambers refused, then went upstairs and lay on a bed.

The woman asked him to leave again, but Chambers threw her onto the bed, got on top of her and began to choke her using his weight.

Procurator Fiscal Stuart McMillan said: “She estimates it was some 15 seconds.

"She was terrified and she began to feel faint and she couldn’t breath. She managed to break his grip from her neck. She asked him to stop.

"He let her go and stood at th e end of th e bed. He stated to her at that time that this was her fault and that she had caused all of this.”

Chambers also grabbed the woman’s hair and threw her down onto the bedroom floor.

She struck her head and sustained swelling and bruising to her eye.

Mr McMillan said: “She was lying on the floor in complete shock and fear at what had happened.”

When police traced Chambers, he provided a false name at first.

He also claimed during interview that his partner had attacked him.

Chambers then later breached a bail condition by making contact with the complainer.

Requesting a Non-Harassment Order, the fiscal added: “The crown has grave concerns about the violence of this offence, particularly the choking. ”

Solicitor Mr McLenna said: “As far as the incident is concerned, alcohol had been consumed by both parties.

"He realises that this is absolutely reprehensible behaviour and is deeply unforgivable. He is deeply ashamed, it was totally out of character.

"He is very keen to make amends. I understand that the complainer has been writing letters to him while he has been in custody. She viewed this as very much a one-off incident. The complainer is in court today.”

Sheriff Moir a McKenzie rejected the crown’s motion for a Non-Harassment Order but described the matter as “serious”.

She sentenced Chambers to five months imprisonment to run consecutive to the jail term he is currently serving.