An Isle of Wight man launched a prolonged series of assaults on his partner in a residential street, including dragging her along by her hair, a court was told. 

Elliot Aaron Dwyer learned his fate in court on Friday (February 2), after he admitted inflicting actual bodily harm against the woman, causing affray and intimidating a witness, against the same victim, in Ryde.

At around 4.30pm on December 19 last year, Dwyer met up with his partner at Wetherspoons in Ryde.

Conversations led to a heated row, which stemmed from Dwyer's accusation she was having a relationship with a police officer, said Munayah Hassan, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court.

Later that evening, the woman arrived home from work and Dwyer, 23, waiting in his car, kept beeping his horn.

She told him how ridiculous he had been and, after she got back into her car, he attempted to block her with his.

When she lowered her window to speak to him, he grabbed her car keys and forced her head against the window, Mrs Munayah said.

The victim then ran, Dwyer put her in a headlock, continuing his accusations of cheating.

She broke free, but Dwyer grabbed her by the hair and pulled her down the street.

A neighbour came out of his home to stop him and gave her refuge in his home.

When police arrived, they found Dwyer hiding behind a bush and falsely told them his name was Jonathan.  

Following his arrest the next day, Dwyer phoned the victim, threatening to kill himself unless she "dropped the case". 

Dwyer, of St John's Hill, Ryde, then got his mother to phone her with the same aim, which the victim ignored. 

Dwyer inflicted bruising to the woman's arm, neck pain, stress and anxiety.

Dwyer initially denied the offences, but changed his pleas following discussions with his mother, said Oscar Vincent, his solicitor.

Mr Vincent said alcohol abuse was the root cause of his client's offending.

Dwyer was handed 26 weeks' jail, suspended for 18 months, with 30 rehabilitation and Building Better Relationships sessions, a 90-day alcohol abstinence programme, with £85 costs and a £154 surcharge.