A WOMAN feared for her life as she was strangled and struggled to breathe during a prolonged violent attack by her boyfriend.

Scott Motum, 28, and his partner were in a two-month relationship — having previously known each other for a decade — when his offending occurred on April 17.

“She describes the two months of the relationship with Mr Motum as ‘not great’ and escalating into violence on occasion,” prosecutor Gerard Rogerson told Carlisle Crown Court.

Motum began to argue with the woman as a party for her daughter was held at his house.

In a bid to ease tension, the woman left his home and then realised Motum was following her. She spoke of intending to return to sort things out.

“Suddenly he pushed her into a car that was parked by the side of the road. Her head made contact with the vehicle. She ended up falling to the ground,” said Mr Rogerson.

Relatives of the woman heard the sickening impact, which left her with an injury to her forehead.

The court was told Motum took hold of his partner’s hair and dragged her back to his address. “He slammed her head against a living room door and put one of his hands around her throat,” said Mr Rogerson.

“He was squeezing her throat, applying pressure so there were a few seconds where she could not breathe.

“He was also digging his fingers into the sides of her throat. That has caused bruising and scratches to each side. While squeezing he was saying ‘I’ll take your jaw off’.”

The woman later recalled: “I was in fear for my life.”

As he let go she was pushed around the kitchen before he placed one hand on her throat again, pushing inwards, with no squeezing on that occasion.

As Motum’s phone rang, she took the opportunity to flee, hiding behind garages while texting her father. “He set off immediately, so concerned was he by the frightening nature of the messages,” said Mr Rogerson.

“They were telling him to ‘hurry up’; she was ‘scared’; she had had to run; she was having to hide.

“She hid behind cars until her father arrived to pick her up and take her to safety.”

The woman suffered multiple injuries, including a black eye, bruising and cuts to her hip. She had to take medication and existing anxiety was made worse. “I find it hard to focus on anything. I don’t understand why my partner did this to me and hurt me so much,” she said in a statement as she detailed long-lasting impact.

“It isn’t just about surviving the trauma of that night. I am having to live with it,” she added. “I always feel like I am on edge.”

After Motum, of Brown Street, Workington, was arrested, he claimed her head injury was caused when she “fell over”. He remained silent in interview but later admitted charges of intentional strangulation and actual bodily harm assault.

“He is sorry for his actions,” said solicitor Sean Harkin, giving mitigation. “He wants to address the reasons for his offending behaviour.”

Motum had also served the equivalent of a 12-month jail term on remand in custody, where he was confined to a cell for 23 hours a day.

Judge Nicholas Barker imposed an immediate 24-month prison sentence, and took a particularly dim view of Motum’s strangulation of the woman.

“The courts over the years have understood the very serious consequences of that and the great fear it causes,” said Judge Barker.

He told Motum he had “intended to demonstrate total control and the fact that her life was in your hands.”