Jealous woman threatened to kill her girlfriend after seeing love-bite on neck

Ashley Redhead started choking Demi Price during a confrontation at Sacriston Workmens' club in County Durham, then later barged into her home and held a knife towards her throat.

The furious 25-year-old had warned Miss Price, who she had been seeing for about six months: "I'm going to follow you to work and stab you in the neck."

At the time of the attack last November, Redhead was on a suspended sentence for burgling a previous partner's home while she was out and causing over £600 in damage.

Redhead, of Jasmine Close, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to common assault and making threats to kill Miss Price, who was left with a bruised neck.

Judge Robert Adams sentenced her to 14 months' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with rehabilitation requirements and 150 hours' unpaid work.

The judge told her: "You said you had seen a love bite on her neck and appear to have lost your temper. You initially started strangling her.

"You had the opportunity of harming her with the knife and you didn't, but nevertheless it was a truly terrifying incident.

"This is your second chance and you are unlikely to get another."

The judge said Redhead currently poses a risk to future female partners, but is now prepared to engage in working with professionals to overcome her long-standing problems.

Peter Schofield, defending, said Redhead had become jealous because she suspected Miss Price had started seeing someone else while they were still a couple.

He said: "She saw the love-bite on her neck which exacerbated the problem of jealousy she was already feeling."

Mr Schofield said Redhead is sorry for her behaviour and had no real intention of using a knife on Miss Price.

Prosecutor Paul Rowland told the court the initial confrontation happened when Redhead arrived at the social club by taxi, where Miss Price was with a friend.

During a conversation in a smoking hut outside, Redhead launched the choking attack.

Mr Rowland said: "The defendant took hold of Miss Price by the neck and began choking her, with both hands around her neck.

"Miss Price, at this stage, states she was panicking, but said the defendant appeared to be calm, she wasn't shouting or otherwise."

The court heard Redhead punched Miss Price in the face when trouble continued in the women's toilets, and made the threat to kill her.

Redhead armed herself with a knife from the kitchen during the next confrontation, which was at Miss Price's nearby home a short while later.

Miss Price had already managed to call the police before the knife threats started.

Mr Rowland added: "It was her view, had the police not arrived, it was possible she could have been stabbed."

The court heard Redhead, who had stabbed a door inside Miss Price's flat, dropped the knife as soon as the police ordered her to.

The judge made a restraining order which forbids her from having any further contact with Miss Price.