Irking Darlington woman after horrific strangulation attack

IRKING DARLINGTON WOMAN AFTER HORRIFIC STRANGULATION ATTACK

A court heard that Drunken Irmantas Zilinskas subjected his then-partner to a horrific attack in a County Durham home after a day of drinking booze.

He left her gasping for air as he covered her mouth and nose with his hands, and at one point, wrapped a towel around her neck and used it as a ligature, squeezing it tight.

During the ordeal, as she gasped for air and attempted to scream for help, Zilinskas chillingly told her; "no one is coming for you".

The woman continued to try and escape Zilinskas' grip, who then sat on top of her with her hands behind her back, again putting his hand over her nose and mouth while she gasped for air.

She then feigned an epileptic fit and fainted, waking in the bathroom with Zilinskas standing nearby.

The attack was recorded on CCTV as the victim wrote 'help' in condensation on a car window and sought police assistance.

Zilinskas was later arrested and pleaded guilty to intentionally strangulating and suffocating the victim.

He was sentenced to 36 months in jail and a lifelong restraining order was imposed to protect her.

The judge described the assault as 'terrible and violent, aggravated by drink', highlighting that Zilinskas initially denied attacking her, claiming she was the aggressor, but the victim believed she was going to die during the incident.