Birmingham man sentenced for domestic assault and strangulation

A man named Andrew Leavy was involved in an assault incident where he punched his girlfriend in the face and attempted to strangle her. The incident was reported after the victim went to pick Leavy up from a Redditch pub and found him exiting the disabled toilets with another woman. Despite this, she agreed to drive him home and drop off his friend. During the journey, Leavy became aggressive, screaming in her face and claiming he was helping the other woman. He then knelt back into the car and tried to drag her out by her hair. She managed to calm him down temporarily and continued driving, but he then attempted to strangle her and punched her in the cheek. He also took the car keys and exited the vehicle, kicking and punching the doors. The victim described that Leavy told her, 'go on call the police' when she tried to call for help. Police and a local resident were called by the victim and others who heard the altercation. Leavy claimed that his actions were due to his anxiety and Asperger’s syndrome, stating that his girlfriend had been aggressive and that he feared for his safety. He admitted to tussling with her for the car keys, which he believed grazed her face, and explained he had a panic attack and reacted in a fight or flight response. The court heard that police supported the victim’s version of events, and witnesses said the disturbance lasted at least ten minutes. Leavy was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 20 days of rehabilitation, fined £120, ordered to pay £1,080 in court costs, and £700 in compensation.