A THUG who repeatedly strangled a woman in a wheelchair before holding a kitchen knife to her throat has been jailed.

Kevin Hennessy appeared via videolink at Oxford Crown Court yesterday to be sentenced.

The 41-year-old of Sherwood Place, Barton, was found guilty, after a trial, of assault by beating, and pleaded guilty to having a bladed article.

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Outlining the case prosecutor Robert Lindsey said the incident happened at Hennessy’s home on the evening of December 7 last year.

Police received a 999 call from a member of the public at 5.30pm reporting that Hennessy was seen strangling a woman in a communal car park.

The witness described Hennessy ‘shouting and acting aggressively’ before grabbing the wheelchair-bound woman’s arm and slamming it against a wall.

Oxford Mail:

Hennessy also repeatedly punched the woman in the face and then grabbed her around the throat.

He was then seen to produce a kitchen knife described as being up to seven inches long then holding it to the woman’s throat.

Police soon arrived and he was arrested for the incident.

At yesterday’s sentencing hearing it was revealed that he has 41 previous convictions.

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In mitigation, defence barrister Rhianna Fricker said that her client’s offending was ‘consistent with both homelessness and drink and drugs abuse.’

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle QC said: “It’s quite clear that you don’t control your temper.

“The sooner you realise you have got to do so the less you will appear in the courts.”

Hennessy was jailed for a total of one year - four months for assault and eight months for having a knife.