A man has been jailed after he strangled a woman and then called police claiming he was the one who has been assaulted. An intoxicated Julian Woollon called on the woman and made hurtful jibes about her, Bristol Crown Court was told.
After pushing her to the floor he placed his hands around her neck and screamed at her: "I'm going to f****** kill you." Mercifully, the much slighter female was able to push him off.
But it was Woollon who called police to report the incident. But when they arrived at the scene police appraised the situation, arrested him and he subjected them to a tirade of abuse.
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Woollon, 46, whose address was given as Station Road in Portbury, pleaded guilty to strangulation and obstructing police in December last year. Judge Michael Longman jailed him for 16 months.
The judge told Woollon: "In effect you were out of control. The only appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody."
Woollon was fined £100 for obstructing police. He was handed a five-year restraining order banning him from all contact with the complainant.
Lucie Stoker, prosecuting, said when Woollon gripped the woman's neck she struggled to breathe and was terrified. Thankfully she was able to free herself from his grasp but it was Woollon who called police, telling them she had cut his face.
Miss Stoker told the court: "She was not arrested for that. Police arrived, they took the view he was the aggressor and arrested him."
When arrested Woollon maintained that he had been scratched. He told police he felt he could kill the woman and wanted police there, the court heard.
Police bombarded with verbal abuse
As he was arrested he bombarded officers with verbal abuse. He was told to calm down and warned he would be PAVA sprayed unless he did.
Miss Stoker added: "That behaviour continued in the police car and into the police station. A police officer had to leave his holding cell because of his behaviour and the impact on her."
Naomi Aylwin, defending, said: "Mr Woollon was behaving in an entirely despicable manner. He accepts his behaviour to (the complainant) was atrocious."
Miss Aylwin said former tree surgeon Woollon was remorseful. She conceded an aggravating factor was that he had been drinking and drink was the root cause of the incident. She told the court: "It was Mr Woollon who ultimately called the police. He says the call to police was a cry for help."
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