A thug strangled a woman until she “saw stars” after meeting her on Snapchat and saying he loved her.
Benjamin Barrett, 27, first spoke to the victim over social media when he claimed to have feelings for her and wanted them to get married. He then travelled from London to Leeds, West Yorkshire, to meet her in November last year and they bought vodka, before heading to the women’s property.
Barrett then became more irate and accused her of not trusting him, before grabbing her by the throat and pinning her against a wall. He squeezed the victim’s neck for around six seconds, long enough for her to begin “seeing stars”, so she grabbed a kitchen knife and held it to her own throat to keep him away.
He then encouraged the woman to stab herself and he also tried to grab the knife and cut his fingers.
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In a victim impact statement the woman said he life had been “turned upside down” and was not sleeping or eating. She said: “I’m scared of my own shadow.
“My anxiety is that bad sometimes. It turns out I did not know him at all.”
During the horror encounter, the victim also received a cut to her thigh from the knife and Barrett grabbed her by the throat and struck her head against a mirror. He refused to leave so the victim tried to escape through a bedroom window but he dragged her back inside.
Neighbours then gathered outside the property having heard the commotion. Barrett, who has no previous convictions, was arrested.
He gave a prepared statement denying attacking the woman and claiming she had mental health issues and then refused to answer any questions. Mitigating, Lucy Brown said it had been a “very brief relationship” but Barrett accepted prison was inevitable.
She said since being held on remand at HMP Leeds, he had detoxed which had put him on an “even keel” and wishes to address his issues. Ms Brown said: “He was honest from the outset the has a problem with his temper.”
Barrett admitted a charge of intentional strangulation and Judge Tahir Khan said he acted “volatile.” He gave him a 30-month sentence and a three-year restraining order to keep him away from the victim.