Northampton man jailed for more than three years after attack on woman and strangling her until she couldn’t breathe

A Northampton man has been jailed for three years and nine months after attacking and strangling a woman to the point that she could not breathe.

Craig Stewart, aged 34, of Helmdon Crescent, Kingsthorpe, appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court via video link from prison initially on July 15 after pleading guilty to six offences, including assault.

Prosecution barrister Alex Radley told the court: “He strangled her with both hands and squeezed to the point where she couldn’t breathe. She thought he was going to kill her.”The court heard Stewart has 27 previous offences to his name between 2009 and January 2020.

Defence barrister Karen Walton said: “He has a depressing and sad background in relation to his family background and people he was close to when he was younger.

“He wishes to apologise unreservedly to the victim and accepts how terrifying it must have been.”

During another hearing on September 2, after adjourning the case to consider sentencing powers, His Honour Judge Francis Sheridan, labelled Stewart’s actions as “absolutely disgusting”.

As well as 45 months in prison, the judge imposed an indefinite restraining order prohibiting Stewart from making contact with the victim.