A man with an appalling record for violence against women attempted to strangle a former partner with a plug cord after he had head-butted her and urinated on the floor after turning up drunk.

Norwich Evening News: Paragon Place in Norwich. PIC: Steve Adams.Paragon Place in Norwich. PIC: Steve Adams. (Image: Archant Norfolk 2010)

Ryan Beattie, 28, had a restraining order in place banning him from contacting his former partner.

But Norwich Crown Court heard Beattie turned up at her property in Paragon Place, Norwich, with a mutual friend, “very drunk” on December 14 last year, while the order was still in place.

Beattie and the victim fell asleep but she woke up to the sound of what turned out to be Beattie urinating on the table in the living room.

After he was challenged by the victim about what he was doing, the court heard Beattie came towards her and pushed her face down on the mattress before headbutting her.

She pulled away from Beattie who was again asked to leave, but he took a plug out of the wall and “put the cord of the plug around her neck”.

Again the victim was able to escape from the defendant who then swung the plug at the victim and hit her in the foot before she was able to get out and call police.

Beattie, of Norwich Prison, had admitted assault by beating, criminal damage and breach of a restraining order but the case was adjourned until Wednesday (July 15) after he had previously denied headbutting, attempting to strangle the victim or urinating on the table.

A Newton hearing, to decide the differences between what the prosecution and Beattie said happened, had been due to take place with the victim also brought to court but Beattie conceded he had been too intoxicated at the time and “accepted her version of events”.

Sentencing Beattie to a total of 24 months in prison, Judge Andrew Shaw said he had an “appalling record for violence against women” and urged him to “keep his hands to himself where women are concerned”.

Rob Pollington, mitigating, said credit for plea was his biggest mitigation, adding it was a “toxic” relationship in which there were a number of fall outs and reconciliations but which he accepted had now come to an end.

Beattie was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting her.