Violent boyfriend bit his partner then dropped her down flight of stairs during drunken attack at their home in Leeds

Ryan Smith was locked up for 18 months over the attack on the victim at their home in Leeds on June 15 this year

Leeds Crown Court heard Smith and the woman had been in a relationship for 17 months leading up to the incident and he has a previous conviction for being violent towards her.

Phillips Evans, prosecuting, said: "She describes the relationship in this way: 'When it's good, it's really good. When it's not, it's horrible."

Mr Evans said the attack happened when the couple returned home after spending the day drinking and socialising with others.

The couple argued as they walked home before Smith became violent when they returned to the property.

The prosecutor said Smith drew the bedroom curtains to prevent anyone seeing the assault from outside.

He grabbed her and threw her down onto the bed before punching her to the face.

He slapped her face and pinned her to the bed as she screamed at him to let her go.

Smith, 32, put his hand around the victim's neck and squeezed until she struggled to breathe.

She managed to break free and run from the bedroom.

Smith chased after her and grabbed her in a headlock.

He then lifted her off the floor and dangled her over the stairs.

Mr Evans said the woman believed Smith was going to kill her.

He bit her hand as she struggled to break free and she fell down the stairs.

Police were contacted after the woman managed to get out of the property and alerted neighbours.

She received medical treatment for bruises to her arms, a bite mark to her hand and a cut to the inside of her mouth.

Smith, of Vinery Mount, Richmond Hill, Leeds, was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a trial before magistrates.

He has previous convictions for racially aggravated assault and assaulting an emergency worker.

Smith was handed a suspended prison sentence in August last year for subjecting the same victim to domestic violence.

Stuart Field, mitigating, said Smith was grieving over the death of a former partner and the death of a close friend when he committed the offence.

Judge Simon Phillips QC also made Smith the subject of a restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim for the next five years.