A man who strangled his girlfriend and her helpless pet Chihuahua in a drug-fueled rage at a party is jailed.
Samuel Bodington lost his temper and began hallucinating and becoming violent, lashing out at his girlfriend and the defenseless dog she was caring for.
Bodinton had arrived at a party at his girlfriend’s house high on the prescription drug Pregabalin that he had acquired on the street.
While at the party where everyone had been drinking, tThe 33-year-old grabbed and squeezed his girlfriend’s neck, making her gasp before turning on his chihuahua, Luna.
He grabbed the dog’s neck, causing its tongue to hang out of its mouth and leaving the dog, who had been abused by its former owners, “shaken and nervous”, Hull Crown Court heard.
Samuel Bodington, 33, outside Hull Crown Court after being sentenced for strangling his “terrified girlfriend” and chihuahua Luna whom he had been looking after.
Hull Crown Court heard Bodington had been high on the prescription drug Pregabalin when he strangled his 16-year-old girlfriend in an “unprovoked” attack.
Michael Forrest, prosecuting, said: “The defendant’s behavior changed as if a switch had been flipped,” Mr Forrest said.
Prompted by the prescription drug Pregabalin, which is used to treat epilepsy and anxiety and makes the user very relaxed, Bodington became agitated.
He was hallucinating, loud and aggressive, and hurling insults that frightened the woman.
“She told him to leave, but he didn’t leave.” she added.
Bodington began to insult her before lunging at his girlfriend who was lying on a sofa and dragging them both to the floor.
While they were on the ground, he grabbed his throat and the dog’s neck and squeezed.
The woman eventually forced Bodington to let go and alerted police.
“Luna was very shocked and nervous,” Mr Forrest said.
The woman, who had been in a relationship with Boddington for 16 years, later said that Bodington’s attack on her was unprovoked.
Bodington admitted breaching a 16-month suspended prison sentence imposed on July 31 last year after admitting intentionally strangling his girlfriend and causing unnecessary suffering to his dog.
At the time the case was originally heard in July last year, Bodington had been held on remand at Doncaster prison since April of that year.
He had been given a 16-month suspended prison sentence, 30 days of rehabilitation and a six-month alcohol treatment programme. He had been prohibited from having animals for two years.
Judge John Thackray KC told him at the time: ‘Your behavior on the night in question was appalling. Your victim must have been terrified. The dog must have been terrified.
‘This could have been much more serious. Sometimes it only takes a few seconds from when someone is strangled until he loses consciousness.’
The case resurfaced when Bodington admitted failing to comply with the terms of his suspended sentence by missing appointments with the probation service on November 23 last year and January 18 this year.
Probation service prosecutor Connor Stuart told the latest hearing that at a previous hearing on September 20, the order was allowed to continue and Bodington was fined for previously failing to attend.
The case was also adjourned on February 14 for Bodington to prove he could comply with the order, but his attendance at probation service sessions had been “sporadic” and he attributed much of this to cannabis use, Stuart said.
Bodington told the court: “A year ago my life was absolutely brilliant.”
But he later broke up with his girlfriend, whom he had been with since he was 18, and lost his home, forcing him to rely on friends to house him.
“Everything has been sporadic, just up in the air, out of control,” he said.
“I have no excuses”.
Recorder Tony Watkin said the original suspended sentence could have been triggered “immediately” at previous hearings due to Bodington’s non-compliance, but he had been given opportunities to comply.
“When the court imposes a sentence, it expects it to be carried out,” Recorder Watkin said.
The probation service had not “jumped immediately” to take enforcement action, but Bodington had forced them to act.
“I cannot, in good conscience, do anything other than activate the suspended sentence,” Recorder Watkin said.
You spent four months and a little bit of preventive detention. The decision I have to reach, unfortunately for you but in compliance with my duty, is that I am going to have to activate that sentence.
You will serve the rest of that sentence. It looks like there are four months left. I see no real reason to refer any part of that.’
The 16-month suspended sentence was activated and Bodington was jailed for the remainder of the original 16 months he had left to serve.
