Abusive boyfriend held knee on partner's neck and threatened to live-stream his attack on YouTube

Thomas Knowles, aged 27, filmed himself yelling expletives and insults at his girlfriend before putting pressure on her neck while she was on the floor until she was struggling to breathe.

That very recording on his phone was later used to incriminate him after he was arrested by police.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told on Monday how Knowles and his victim had been in an "on/off" relationship for about seven years and had split up once in 2021 due to Knowles' habit for smoking cannabis, as well as arguments involving money and work.

They got back together the following summer, but there were a "couple more incidents" where arguments took place, and Knowles' behaviour became "more erratic" when he had been drinking.

On February 14 this year, they both went to The Crown pub in Bridgnorth before making their way home separately. She walked and he drove.

"On arrival she described him as 'spoiling for a fight'," said Oliver Woolhouse, prosecuting. "He got his phone out to record her and said he was going to live-stream it to YouTube."