A THUG who strangled his girlfriend until she nearly lost consciousness has been locked up for three years.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard Connor McGregor, 21, also broke his girlfriend Danielle Lawson’s arm during a vicious assault.
The court heard McGregor, from Carnoustie, attacked Ms Lawson as they walked home from a pub along Wardmill Road, Arbroath.
The pair began to argue and Ms Lawson tried to walk away, when McGregor chased her and repeatedly pushed her, causing her to fall.
She got up and continued to walk and McGregor pushed her against metal railings on a bridge, grabbed her by the throat and strangled her until she couldn’t breathe and began to lose consciousness.
He then threw her to the ground and she was later found to have a broken arm.
At some point during the attack two men walked past and Ms Lawson shouted: “If you don’t help me and take me to safety then I’ll be dead.”
However, the pair walked on without intervening.
McGregor had denied the assault but a jury found him guilty after trial.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told the jury Ms Lawson was “viciously assaulted” by her partner.
She added: “Assaulted to the extent that he placed his hand over her throat and made her feel woozy.
“An assault that endangered her life.”
After returning their verdict, the jury was told McGregor had two previous convictions for assaulting and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards Ms Lawson.
Solicitor Nick Whelan, defending, said: “He is aware that a custodial sentence will be imposed.”
McGregor, a prisoner of Perth, was found guilty of one charge of assault to severe injury and danger of life, at Wardmill Road, Arbroath, on September 12 last year.
Sheriff Tom Hughes said: “This matter went to trial before a jury and they convicted you of a very serious charge.
“I’ve read the terms of a background report and a custodial sentence is inevitable.
“You have a bad record of previous convictions and this is a very serious matter which took place while you were on bail.”
Following the three-year prison sentence, McGregor will be subject to a one-year supervised release order.
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