A YOUNG man has been jailed for strangling his partner despite her claims it was ‘consensual rough sex’.

Dane Pretlove, of Strawberry Hill, Newbury, was sentenced to 21 imprisonment at Reading Crown Court on March 30 for one count of intentional strangulation and one count of common assault.

The court heard that the 20-year-old had strangled his partner on September 17 last year after an argument at a pub when he allegedly referred to her by the name of his ex-partner.

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When the pair returned home, a neighbour could hear them arguing at about 12.10pm and went over to check what was happening.

She saw the victim in a ‘very distressed state’ and could hear her saying: “He got me around the neck, he was choking me, I couldn’t breathe.”

The neighbour then called the police and went to grab her coat to leave the building with the victim but in doing so the defendant ‘shoved’ them both causing the neighbour to fall to the floor – leading to the common assault charge.

In court, CCTV footage was shown of the partner laying on the floor, falling in and out of consciousness. She was asking for her mum and could be heard saying: “Where is he? Is he away from me?”

Pretlove could be heard shouting: “She’s the mother of my child, I didn’t f****** hit her.”

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The defendant was then arrested and the victim was taking to hospital for a CT scan which came back clear.

The prosecuting counsel said: “[The victim] said the incident was an accident and it was her fault for having provoked the defendant.

“She later contacted the officer in the case and said she had not been strangled and she went on to say she had been strangled but it was consensual during rough sex.

“It was at that point the prosecution went on without her involvement.”

Due to the eyewitness account of the neighbour, Pretlove was still charged and placed on remand.

Pretlove’s defence counsel said: “He is disgusted with his actions on that day, they are entirely out of character. He’s a proud man, a family man, and a hard-working man.”

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Sentencing, Judge Kirsty Brimelow said: “You were just 21 at the time, a young person who is still maturing.

“I take into account the references from your mum, from family, from friends and the reference of you being a valued member of staff.

“I take into account the description of you being the rock of the family and that this behaviour is not typical, out of character and out of the ordinary for someone like you.”