A THUG strangled his girlfriend after he became jealous of her paying too much attention to another man on the dancefloor of a nightclub.

Leighton Pearce brutally assaulted her after he had been thrown out of a Newport nightspot.

Jeffrey Jones, prosecuting, said the victim “feared for her life” during the lengthy attack.

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He told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant effectively strangled her repeatedly on September 19, 2021.

“The conflict began on a social occasion where the defendant believed she was paying too much attention to another male upon the dancefloor.

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“He was verbally abusive to her and he was thrown out of the nightclub in Newport.

“She was embarrassed by his behaviour and had already left the club.”

Mr Jones said security staff at the venue, unnamed in court, stopped Pearce assaulting the woman outside and she went home to sleep after hailing a taxi.

The defendant then climbed into her house through a balcony.

Mr Jones added: “She was awoken by him and she wanted to get away and went into the bathroom.

“He followed her, got in her face and gripped her throat tightly.

“This was repeated more violently in her bedroom when the defendant gripped her throat and placed her upon the bed and sat astride her.

“He pinned her arms down.

“She pleaded for him to stop and she was unable to breathe.

“The defendant kept her there for a long time. The complainant opines it was possibly an hour.”

She got away and went into the bathroom but a “ranting” Pearce attacked her again and she shouted to her neighbours for help.

Mr Jones added: “His response was to shove a clothing garment in her mouth to block these cries for help out.

“She feared for her life.”

This offence was committed just two months after Pearce was handed a suspended jail sentence for assaulting a fellow drinker at the Pen & Wig pub in Newport.

The defendant assaulted his girlfriend again on November 5, 2021 when he gripped her throat and lifted her six inches off the floor.

Pearce, 32, of Chelmer Walk, Bettws, Newport, admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and being in breach if a suspended sentence.

He has previous convictions for battery and wounding.

Nicholas Gedge, representing Pearce, said in mitigation that his client had a “troubled background” and had wrestled with a drug problem.

His barrister told the court the defendant had attended an anger management course in prison after he was remanded in custody following his arrest.

Mr Gedge added: “He wants to mend his ways and lead a better life.

“There is a hope to rekindle the relationship on both sides I understand.”

The judge, Recorder IWL Jones, told Pearce: “What comes across quite clearly is that you were jealous and you were controlling.

“The offence in September 2021 was committed when you were under the influence of drink which is an aggravating feature.

“What you did was humiliate her, bully her.

“She pleaded with you and you repeatedly acted in a way that was on any view strangulation.

“It must have been terrifying as I’m sure you can see looking back on it.

“You should be ashamed of yourself for what you did.”

The defendant was jailed for 32 months.