A MAN who assaulted a pub landlady and threatened her with a knife during a domestic violence incident has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Gavin Philpotts, 40, lived at the Saracens Head on St Martin's Street with his former partner Louise Ella when the assault took place on January 30.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to assault by beating and destroying bar furniture to the value of £5,000.

Peter Love, prosecuting at Hereford Magistrates Court earlier this month, said Miss Ella and Philpotts had been in a relationship for five months and had been living together above the pub.

"Philpotts grabbed her by her hair and threw her across the bedroom causing her to bang her head against the wall," said Mr Love.

"He then grabbed his hand across her throat and strangled her three times. He took a knife from the kitchen and said, 'I could kill you with this.'

"He chased her upstairs and held the knife against her throat before stabbing it into the wall beside them. Miss Ella escaped from the pub and ran across the city centre into the Merton Hotel.

"While she was gone Philpotts smashed up the contents of the pub and smashed furniture and items causing damage of £5,000."

He admitted criminal damage and assault and said that he had been drinking and believed he had one of his 'rages'.

Philpotts told police that he remembered snippets of the rage and remembered shouting and yelling. He remembered lifting the pool table but couldn't remember physical violence.

Emma Thorne, mitigating at the earlier hearing said: "He couldn't explain why these incidents of rages break out. His GP has been concerned and he has been referred to the community mental health team. He has been waiting months for an appointment to come through.

"He is a former soldier who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He is entirely ashamed and devastated, the relationship is off and he respects her request for no further contact."

At a sentencing hearing on Friday, Philpotts was handed a 24-week prison sentence suspended for 24 months.

He was ordered to complete a building better relationships programme and handed a restraining order prohibiting contact directly or indirectly with Miss Ella.

Philpotts was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to Miss Ella and a £115 victim surcharge.