A MAN strangled and hit his wife whilst threatening to kill her after she fell asleep on the sofa.

Paul McSharry, 46, “battered and bullied” his wife, accusing her of disrespecting him after she fell asleep as they watched a film.

Southampton Crown Court heard how when she fell asleep, he began pushing her and told her to get upstairs.

When there, he pushed her to the floor and began hitting her repeatedly before strangling her as she tried to scream.

To stop her screaming, he covered her mouth with his hand, accusing her of being “not nice to me” and asking: “Are you going to be a decent wife?”

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The incident on March 21 this year only ended when Mrs McSharry managed to escape to the bathroom, where she sent voice recordings she had secretly been taking to a friend.

Upon hearing this, the concerned friend rang the police who arrived at the home and arrested McSharry.

In the recordings, played in court, he can be heard saying that he is going to kill her and that she is the one making him do this.

When interviewed, McSharry, a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, gave a prepared statement, denying ever threatening or assaulting his wife of 22 years.

But prosecuting, Keely Harvey said there was a “threat of significant further violence” having caused “very serious distress” to his wife who “wondered what was going to happen to her”.

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She added that McSharry, "a high earner", didn't like any drinking and would "go crazy" if his wife had a drink.

"The relationship had been suffering for several years prior to the incidents," Ms Harvey said. 

McSharry, of Blencowe Drive, Chandler’s Ford, later pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and threats to kill.

The court was told that this was his first offence, and that he had lost his job as a result.

But judge Christopher Parker KC said the offences “were not committed entirely in isolation” adding that his wife had been so concerned at the way he was treating her, she had been sending evidence to her friend.

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He added: “On the night of the 21st, over a petty nothingness of irritation, you lost your temper and you battered and bullied her remorselessly.

“You told her you were pleased that you hurt her.

“I have no doubt that untreated and allowed access back to your wife you would represent a very serious danger to her: not just to her health and wellbeing but to her life.”

McSharry was jailed for three years and six months at a hearing on Monday.

Mitigating, Audrey Archer said her client “feels great shame at the way he behaved that evening” and has been seeking help whilst in custody.

She added that he appreciates that the “treatment of his wife is wholly unacceptable and that he needs help”.