Jealous thug choked his girlfriend until she passed out on the floor

Sheriff blasts violent bully as he jails him for 21 months

A brute battered and choked his girlfriend so violently in a “jealous rage” that she lost consciousness on her living room floor.

Daniel McColl, 35, brutalised his girlfriend Deborah Ann Young, 35, in a horrific attack at her home because she had spent the evening with her female pal.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard blood-splattered Ms Young ran screaming into the street to escape from the clutches of crazed McColl on February 20.

Procurator fiscal depute Kara Watt told how he pounced on his victim after her pal, Jennifer Guthrie, had left the Robertson’s Gait flat in the town’s south side.

She said: “The accused attended at her flat and said, ‘If I knew she was coming over I would have gone to my pal’s’.

“The accused and witness consumed alcohol together.

“He continued to make it known he was unhappy about her friend having been at the house.

“Sometime after, he seized and pulled her by her hair, causing her to fall to the floor.

“He sat on top of her. He restrained her and punched her on the head. He seized her by the neck and compressed it, causing her to struggle to breathe.”

The court heard desperate Ms Young fought back, scratching at his face. However, he continued to punch her.

The prosecutor added: “A neighbour was awoken by the disturbance. She heard Ms Young crying and shouting, ‘Get off me. Get off me’.

“The witness tried to alert the accused to the fact that she couldn’t breathe and was struggling because he was squeezing her neck.

“She lost consciousness and later awoke on the living room floor. She then ran screaming from the property.”

The court heard her pal Ms Guthrie looked out of her window from across the street and saw Ms Young running towards her house.

She noticed her appearance was “dishevelled” and she “had blood on her face”.

Cops who attended noticed the victim was in a distressed state with facial injuries and extensive bruising around her neck.

McColl appeared via video from HMP Low Moss where he pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Young February 19 and 20, this year.

Defence agent Amy Spencer said her client was “deeply ashamed” and “absolutely disgusted” at himself for what he did to Ms Young.

She said: “He has known the complainer since 1997.

“Their friendship developed into a extremely brief relationship, however that relationship is at an end due to his actions.

“He has always struggled with alcohol and drinks to harmful levels.

“When he doesn’t drink, he is a completely different person.

“He realises he will be given a custodial sentence because of this. And he is deeply ashamed and absolutely disgusted at himself.”

She added McColl has vowed never to have any further relationships until he “has a long, hard look at himself,” and gets help with his anger issues.

Sheriff Brian Mohan told him: “It was a jealous rage. A jealous rage because your girlfriend wasn’t giving you her full attention.

“This involved you compressing your girlfriend’s neck in an unprovoked assault in her own home, resulting in her losing consciousness.

“It must have been a terrifying episode for her which was overheard by her neighbour.”

He said there was no alternative disposal other than custody and caged him for 21 months.

He also handed him a Non Harrassment Order, barring him from contacting or approaching Ms Young for two years on his release.

It was a jealous rage. A jealous rage because your girlfriend wasn’t giving you her full attention