Thug strangled Wakefield girlfriend when she failed to return from hen party by his 9.30pm curfew

Nico Lugini has a long history of violence and accused the woman of cheating on him when she failed to return to the flat on Saville Street, Wakefield, within his strict timescale.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the couple had only been in a relationship for a matter of weeks and had argued frequently. Prosecutor Adam Walker said she went out with friends for the celebration on July 1, and they began to quarrel on her return in the early hours.

When she said she was going to sleep, he pinned her down on the bed with both hands around her neck and squeezed, leaving her “gasping for air”.

After letting go, he slapped her around the head and twice slammed her head against a wall. After he calmed down, the woman slept on the sofa and left the next morning before Lugini got up and called the police.

Following his arrest, the 50-year-old gave no comments during interview. Held on remand in HMP Doncaster, he later admitted intentional strangulation and common assault.

He has 13 previous convictions for 37 offences spanning nearly 30 years including kidnapping, robbery, ABH, threats to kill and battery.

Mitigating, Samreen Akhtar said: “He accepts that his previous convictions of a domestic nature are an aggravating feature.

“While it’s not an excuse, he simply ‘flipped’ and attributes that to not having taken his medication. He is deeply apologetic for his actions.”

She said that he wanted to get back to work and has no desire to rekindle the relationship with the victim. He suffers from emotionally-unstable personality disorder and had been in touch with the drug-counselling service, Turning Point, to help combat his cannabis use. She also said that he would be homeless on his release.

The judge, Recorder David Gordon told Lugini: “You have committed serious offences in the past and have a history of violent offending and this was an attack in her own home.”

He gave Lugini an extended sentence of three years and nine months. That includes 21 months’ jail, with a two-year extended licence period.