A MAN has escaped punishment after assaulting his wife and threatening to throw her out of a window.
Christopher Martin grabbed his wife Bridgette, who suffers from epilepsy, by her throat during an argument at their home.
But Martin was given a conditional discharge after Huddersfield magistrates heard how recent stresses had got to him.
The bench was told that the 25-year-old launched the attack at the couple’s home on Dale Street, Lockwood.
Prosecutor Carole Lawford, said that on November 28 an argument broke out between the couple of nine years.
This started when Mrs Martin asked her husband to drive a car.
Martin does not have a valid UK driving licence and so this would have been illegal.
Ms Lawford said: “He grabbed hold of her by the neck and threatened to throw her out of the window.
“She wanted him to drive illegally and was trying to persuade him.
“He said he got angry and things got out of control. He threw some canvass wardrobes about and a TV.
“He said he was trying to walk away but she carried on following him.”
Magistrates were told that Mrs Martin called police but then said in a statement that she did not wish further action to be taken against him.
They heard that he was being prosecuted because he had already received a police caution in 2008 for assaulting his wife.
Charles Ainley, defending, described his client’s case as ‘unusual’.
He said: “If he hadn’t admitted this in interview he would not have been charged.
“He’s not a man who has a propensity to be violent.
“There have clearly been pressures building up to this incident.
“The couple have lived together throughout this and just want to draw a line under this and move on.”
Mr Ainley read out a statement from Mrs Martin in which she stated that she had been frightened and just wanted her husband removed from the house so that he could calm down.
She added that he was suffering from depression and needed help.
Magistrates gave Martin a conditional discharge for 12 months.
They also ordered him to pay £85 towards court costs.
