Southsea strangulation accused left partner ‘terrified’ after lashing out and causing her to smash head
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Ashley Alejo-Blanco ordered his girlfriend to leave his Victoria Road North address following struggles in the relationship before flying into a rage when he found her lying on the mattress in the bedroom – before he erupted with anger.
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The 30-year-old was charged with intentional strangulation before a not guilty plea entered was accepted by the Crown and judge at Portsmouth Crown Court. But the defendant admitted assault by beating during the hearing in an onslaught that left his partner – whom he had children with – shell-shocked and suffering with anxiety.
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The court heard how on August 3 matters came to head between Harvester worker Alejo-Blanco and the victim while their baby was in the house. ‘You lived with your partner but the relationship was not going well. You had lived apart and then lived together again when the third child was on the way,’ judge David Melville KC said.
‘It was quite clear the relationship was not a happy one. You felt you were not getting sufficient financial support. The reality is things were not good and came to a head when you asked her to leave your flat.
‘She went to the bedroom and lay on the mattress and then you used some force to lift the mattress up, dislodging her onto the floor, causing her to bang her head on a plastic box. Things then went on downstairs.’
It was at this point when the alleged intentional strangulation took place which Alejo-Blanco pleaded not guilty to – with his plea accepted by the prosecution and judge.
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Hide AdThe woman said in a statement: ‘I’ve been terrified as a result of this and have not been going out.’
The judge added: ‘(The victim) couldn’t believe you behaved like this and she suffers from anxiety. She was terrified.’
The court heard the defendant, who had one previous conviction of not paying a rail fare, was struggling to keep up with rent and had significant debts.
Alejo-Blanco was served a 12-month community order with 30 rehabilitation days and 50 hours of unpaid work. He was also slapped with a five-year restraining order.