Sunderland man strangled woman after she refused his advances

A brute attacked and strangled a woman he had just met after she rejected him.

The victim had gone back to Ben Mackie's apartment in Sunderland, after a night out in April but she decided to leave when he made "advances".

Newcastle Crown Court heard as she made her way out of his building, Mackie knocked her to the floor, punched her and put his hands around her throat.

Prosecutor Kate Spence told the court: "At between 3am and 5am the defendant had returned from a night out to his flat with the complainant.

"They hadn't known each other prior to this evening and met on a night out.

"The complainant decided she wanted to leave as she felt he was making advances she wasn't interested in.

"She left and she was leaving the main communal door when she felt a thud to the back of her head which caused her to fall to the floor.

"The defendant began to punch her and placed his hands around her throat and strangled her.

"At the time she was worried she would be seriously hurt."

The court heard the woman managed to get up and flagged down a passing car for help.

She had swelling and bruising after the attack.

The woman said in an impact statement: "I'm really scared when I think about what happened but also thankful it wasn't worse.

"I fear for the safety of other women around this male."

Mackie, 34, of Gladstone Street, Sunderland, who has previous convictions, admitted common assault and intentional strangulation.

David Callan, defending, said Mackie, who works as a welder, has little memory of what happened and added: "He had too much beer. He told me, in his language, he and beer don't get on."

Mr Callan said Mackie has stable employment and accommodation and is "absolutely disgusted" by what he did.

Judge Gavin Doig said he accepted Mackie was remorseful but sentenced him to 15 months behind bars with a five year restraining order to protect the victim.