A NORTHWICH man has been jailed for strangling and beating a woman and trying to suffocate her.  

Alex Cain, of Muskett Drive, Winnington, also confessed to harassing her with threats of violence.

The 29-year-old appeared at Chester Crown Court on Monday, October 2, to be sentenced for two separate cases concerning the same victim.  

The first case related to an incident on Saturday, March 25, in Northwich, which resulted in Cain being charged with one count of intentional strangulation, and two counts of assault by beating.

He pleaded guilty to strangulation, but denied the assaults, and a trial date was set for September 11, at Crewe Magistrates Court. 

However, before the trial, both assault charges were dismissed. 

The second case related to incidents which took place between August 12 and August 25, at an address in Winsford, when Cain was on bail awaiting trial for the earlier charges.  

These resulted in Cain’s appearance before Chester magistrates on August 28, where he pleaded guilty to a further count of intentional strangulation, one of intentional suffocation, one of assault by beating, and one of harassment with threats of violence.

Bail was withdrawn on this occasion, and Cain was remanded in custody.

At his October 2 sentence hearing for both cases at Chester Crown Court, for all the offences together, Cain was handed a total of 27 months in prison.

The judge handed Cain two 12-month consecutive sentences for the strangulation charges and a further three-month consecutive sentence for harassment.

He also received two two-month sentences, to run concurrently, for the suffocation and assault by beating charges.

A restraining order banning him from contacting his victim was also imposed and Cain was ordered to pay a victim surcharge.