A MAN who strangled his wife whilst drunk and told her he “would kill her” has avoided prison.

Ian Kidd left his wife “fearing for her life” in the attack after accusing her of being unfaithful to him.

Kidd, 55, returned to home to an address in Braintree last December, and started to drink wine.

The court heard he went into the bedroom drunk and accused his partner, Rosetta, of cheating, despite her “only texting a friend”.

He grabbed her phone and twisted her fingers, which Mrs Kidd believed were broken at the time.

The pair’s 14-year-old son came in and was forced to intervene, later telling the police “dad was hitting mum and I stopped him”.

The court heard Kidd took his wife’s phone, and when she went after him to get it back, he “threw her onto the bed and punched her in the back, winding her”.

Kidd then pinned her down and strangled her saying “I’ll f***ing kill you”.

“At that stage, she thought she was going to die”, recorder John Caudle told the court.

He then punched her head three times and pulled her hair.

Mrs Kidd went downstairs, before passing out. When she woke up, she called the police, who arrived and arrested Kidd.

He then said: “When I’m going to get out, I am going to beat her brains out.”

Kerry Moore, mitigating, said Kidd has shown “genuine remorse” following the incident.

The court heard he has “broken down in tears” over what he did to his wife of 20 years.

Mr Moore added: “He has a positive character, an absence of previous convictions, and has provided for his family.”

The impact of a prison sentence on the couple’s 14-year-old son was also taken into consideration.

Mr Caudle described the incident as a “moment of madness” when carrying out the sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Kidd, of Sheering Lower Road, Sawbridgeworth, admitted one count of intentional strangulation and one count of ABH by assault.

Kidd was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years as well as a five-year restraining order.

He was also ordered to undergo 150 hours of unpaid work and pay a total of £507, including prosecution costs and a surcharge to fund victim services.