Man grabbed former partner by her throat

Lee Hutchings, 31, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault by beating and another of criminal damage at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court on Tuesday following the incident on February 21.

The court heard how Hutchings, of Epsom Avenue, Sale, has a four-year-old child with his former partner Toni Tattersall and he was at her house in Orrell when they began arguing.

Sarah Perkins, prosecuting, said: “The argument continued into the morning during which Mr Hutchings made threats to harm the complainant’s dog.

“He grabbed hold of the complainant by the throat and made threats. She tried to phone the police and he prised the phone from her hand.

“He then smashed the phone.”

She told the court that the couple’s child was upstairs at the time of the assault and was woken by them shouting.

“She came downstairs and was said to be very distressed to see her father shouting at her mummy,” Ms Perkins said.

Hutchings pleaded guilty to both the assault charge and for damaging Miss Tattersall’s phone, which was worth £70.

He offered no defence to the accusations but his sentencing was adjourned while a pre-sentence report is prepared.

He was released on conditional bail and told not to contact Miss Tattersall or go to her house on Orrell Hall Close.

He will appear for sentence at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates on March 22.