A DRUNK man bit his partner’s face, punched her and strangled her with such force she was physically sick then lied to police, saying she caused the injuries to herself to ‘get attention.’

Adam Vickers initially denied the attack on his then partner, Mia Drysdale, telling police he would ‘never touch a female’ but later admitted he had assaulted her, occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Amrisha Parathalingham, prosecuting, said the victim was left afraid to leave her home in the dark.

The 27-year-old attacked his girlfriend on July 29 last year, punching her in the head, biting her on the cheek and pinning her arms with his knees and strangling her.

Vickers, of Worcester Road, Droitwich, pleaded guilty on the day of trial.

Miss Parathalingham said: “He used his teeth during the attack which is the use of a weapon.”

She also argued that he was under the influence of alcohol and the attack was carried out in a ‘domestic context.’

“He said she would have caused the injuries herself to get the attention of the police” Miss Parathalingham told the court.

She said the attack was in breach of two court orders, a community order and conditional discharge, which had only just been imposed.

Vickers also has previous convictions, including for assault occasioning actual bodily harm in August 2015 against a man.

He received an 18 month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work when he was sentenced in July last year. The attack on his partner was carried out only five days later.

Stephen Hamblett, defending, said it had been a short relationship, of months, when the attack took place. Both had been drinking and had argued in town before returning home.

Mr Hamblett said Vickers, who had worked as an accountant in Worcester, had to give up his job because he had been bailed to an address in Wales.

Vickers, now working as a DPD delivery driver and the club secretary of a Sunday league team, was assessed to be at a low risk of reconviction.

Mr Hamblett said Vickers had ‘moved on with his life’ and called it an ‘isolated incident’.

Judge Nicholas Cole said Vickers had ‘acted in a highly aggressive and violent manner’ leaving his victim ‘crying and frightened.’

He said: “You proceeded to assault her, punching her to the head, biting her once on the cheek and pinning her arms with your knees, strangling her for approximately 10 seconds to the extent that she was physically sick. This was an extremely unpleasant and vicious attack.”

The judge said the physical injuries were short lived but the victim was left her unable to sleep, needing medication and afraid to go out in the dark.

The judge sentenced Vickers to 17 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, arguing there was ‘a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.’

Vickers must complete 25 rehabilitation activity days, carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 towards prosecution costs of £2,400.

A restraining order was made preventing Vickers having any contact with the victim or going to where she lives.