Snapchat attacker throttled woman in her Leeds home after travelling from London

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A thug who travelled from London to Leeds to meet a woman attacked her in her home during a drinking binge.

The terrified female even grabbed a knife at one point after Benjamin Barrett had launched at her. She later tried to escape by climbing out of a window, but was dragged back inside.

Barrett was jailed at Leeds Crown Court after admitting a charge of intentional strangulation.

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The court heard that the pair had talked over Snapchat and Barrett had declared his love for her, telling her he wanted to marry her.

On November 13 last year he travelled from London to Leeds, arriving early afternoon.

Barrett (pictured) attacked the woman in her own home.Barrett (pictured) attacked the woman in her own home.
Barrett (pictured) attacked the woman in her own home. | WYP / National World

They went to a shop near the woman’s home in Leeds and bought vodka, before heading to her property where they started drinking.

But Barrett later became upset about his life and found him banging his head against the wall in the bathroom.

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The 27-year-old became more irate and accused her of not trusting him, before grabbing her by the throat and pinning her against a wall.

He squeezed her neck for around five or six seconds, long enough for her to begin “seeing stars”.

The woman grabbed a kitchen knife and held it to her own throat in order to keep Barrett away, but he encouraged her to stab herself.

He tried to grab the knife and cut his fingers. She also received a cut to her thigh from the knife.

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He grabbed her by the throat and struck her head against a mirror.

He refused to leave so she tried to escape through a bedroom window but he dragged her back inside.

By this time neighbours had gathered outside the property having heard the commotion.

The police arrived a short time later and Barrett was arrested. He gave a prepared statement denying attacking the woman and claiming she had mental health issues.

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Barrett, of no fixed address, refused to answer any questions thereafter. He has no previous convictions.

In a victim impact statement the woman said he life had been “turned upside down” and was not sleeping or eating.

She said: “I’m scared of my own shadow. My anxiety is that bad sometimes. It turns out I did not know him at all.”

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Mitigating, Lucy Brown said it had been a “very brief relationship” but Barrett accepted prison was inevitable.

She said: “He was honest from the outset that he has a problem with his temper.”

She said since being held on remand at HMP Leeds, he had detoxed which had put him on an “even keel” and wishes to address his issues.

Judge Tahir Khan described Barrett as acting “volatile”. He gave him a 30-month sentence and a three-year restraining order to keep him away from the woman.

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