A ROMSEY man who attacked his ex-partner has been given a final chance to avoid jail after he asked for 'forgiveness'.

Joshua Codling admitted beating and strangling his former partner and assaulting her friend.

Codling, 30, also admitted burglary, breaking into a family home on the Isle of Wight at night while on bail for assaulting his partner.

The Romsey man was handed a community order but warned if he breaches that he will face 34 months in jail.

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On Friday, September 29 Winchester Crown Court heard that Codling beat his partner in October last year, throwing her into a set of drawers and grabbing her by the throat after she questioned his relationship with his son.

The victim was left with a swollen jaw and bruises on her neck.

Just a couple of weeks later on November 5 - at their shared home in the Isle of Wight - Codling strangled his partner, punching her multiple times and threw her male friend across the lounge.

While on bail for assaulting his partner, Codling and another man broke into a home in the Isle of Wight, at around 12.45am on January 12, where a woman and her two children were sleeping.

The court was shown footage of the burglary, where the mother of two is screaming in distress and grabs hold of her son.

Codling was seen in the background searching for cocaine.

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Judge Adam Feest KC agreed that the burglary would have had a “substantial emotional impact” on the family.

Richard Onslow, mitigating, said: “Codling was not aware that a burglary was to take place until the co-defendant kicked the door open and pushed him through the door. He felt intimidated.

“The girl he thought he was getting on splendidly with said something that caused serious upset which caused him to drink when he had been free of it for some time.

“He tried to do something for other people and undoubtedly spent a very long time and walked many miles to raise money for causes.

“He fell back into old ways, hence the behaviour he very much regrets."

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The court heard after attempting suicide due to a spiralling drink and drugs problem, Codling had pledged to turn his life around by walking the UK coastline in aid of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, the service that saved his life.

His fundraising walk was cut short when he was sent to custody for his crimes in January.

The judge read out part of Codling’s letter. It said: “I cannot change the past although I wish I could. All I can hope is for forgiveness.

“I will finish walking the UK coastline and hope to raise a six-figure sum for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

“I know I can do better for myself and the community. I pledge to stay abstinent and finally make my life something for my family to be proud of.”

Codling also plans to finish writing a book to help others who have experienced similar hardships.

He has spent eight months in custody and has now been released. He must complete 35 rehabilitation days, 120 days of alcohol abstinence, 200 hours unpaid work and has been banned from the Isle of Wight for three years.

Judge Feest said: “If you breach any of these conditions we will meet again and you will get 34 months in prison. I hope I have made myself clear.

"This is a chance for you to prove to everybody that you can be a credit to society and not a detriment.”