A Suffolk man who grabbed his partner by the throat and threatened to kill her during a row during a night out in Newmarket has been jailed for three years.

Sentencing 27-year-old Nathan Craig, Judge Emma Peters said he had kicked, punched and bitten the woman before putting his hands round her neck and telling her he was going to kill her.

“She genuinely believed you’d do it,” said the judge.

Craig of Fritton Court, Haverhill, had denied making a threat to kill, assault causing actual bodily harm and three offences of assault by beating.

He was found guilty after a trial last month of making a threat to kill, assault causing actual bodily harm and one offence of assault by beating.

He was cleared of the remaining two offences of assault by beating.

Craig claimed the woman had been drinking and taking drugs and had slipped over in mud.

He denied assaulting her and holding her throat with his hands while threatening to kill her.

Hugh Vass, for Craig, said his client had spent the last five weeks in custody and had found it hard.

The court heard that he had been a great support to his mother during treatment for cancer.