Boyfriend poured beer over pinned-down nurse in kitchen of her Hucknall home

Toni Castledine, who works as a psychiatric nurse, was subjected to “gratuitous degradation” at the house on Co-operative Avenue, said District Judge Leo Pyle.

The boyfriend, 35-year-old Karl Gilbert, was sent to prison for 26 weeks for what Mr Pyle described as “ a gross breach of trust and power”.

“This was a sustained attack and the third time you have assaulted someone in the last 12 months,” the district judge added.

David Miles, prosecuting, told Nottingham Magistrates’ Court that Gilbert, of Woodville Road, Overseal, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, and Miss Castledine had a relationship for eight months last year.

But it broke down on Friday, November 27 when he was abusive, started to pack his bags and stormed out, taking one of Miss Castledine’s cars to drive to his mother’s house. “You are nothing!” he shouted at her.

When he came back to collect more things, an argument broke out in the kitchen and as Gilbert put his forearm across Miss Castledine’s throat, she “struggled to breathe”.

After he left, she locked the front door, but when he returned once more, he damaged it to such an extent that it came off its frame. “I want the dog!” he demanded.

It later transpired that Gilbert had a minor accident while driving to and from Hucknall, causing £2,000 of damage to the car’s suspension and alloy wheels.

Mr Miles told the court that, through a mutual friend, Miss Castledine made contact with Gilbert nearly three weeks later, wanting to ask him why he had behaved in such a way.

“But she soon realised it wasn’t a good idea,” said Mr Miles. “He became angry and sent her 58 text messages in four days. They did not threaten physical violence but they amounted to harassment.”

Chris Evans, mitigating, said the contact made by Miss Castledine “gave him false hope of reconciliation”. “He just wanted to tell her that he loved her,” said Mr Evans.

Gilbert pleaded guilty to four charges of assaulting Miss Castledine, harassing her via text messages, taking a car without consent and damaging it, and causing £400 worth of damage to the door.

“He accepts responsibility and that his behaviour was appalling,” said Mr Evans. “But he didn’t have a controlling influence over her. There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in their relationship. For example, when he held her down, that was what she had done to him in a previous argument.

“In the heat of the moment, he was just trying to get away from a toxic relationship. He went back to the house to get his belongings and found himself locked out.

“He has now lost his job, and needs to learn how to control his emotions.”

The court was told that Gilbert was in breach of a suspended prison-sentence, which the district judge duly activated.

A restraining order lasting three years, banning Gilbert from contacting Miss Castledine or going to her home or workplaces, was also imposed.