An angry husband's terrifying attack on his wife was recorded on a 999 tape as he smashed his way into their home while she was calling the police.
Graham Hill broke the front window of the family home in Exmouth and then demolished the bedroom door as his petrified wife tried to hold it shut.
The 999 call only ended when he got inside, grabbed her around the throat, and threw her mobile phone across the room, Exeter Crown Court was told.
Mechanic Hill was angry and upset after his ten-year marriage to wife Debra broke up and she locked him out of their home because he had been drinking.
She started her call to the police when he arrived at the house in the early hours and started banging on the door. She threw the keys out of a window to him but he could not find them and became even angrier.
Hill, aged 37, of Madeira Villas, Exmouth, admitted affray and was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid community work and pay £1,200 costs.
He was also made subject of a two year restraining order preventing him from harassing his ex wife.
Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, told him:"This arose out of the acrimonious breakdown of your marriage in which there was infidelity on both sides.
"I suspect there were problems which neither of you handled that well and it m ay not have been the wisest thing to do to lock you out in the circumstances, but you should not have done what you did."
Mr Jonathan Barnes, prosecuting, said the couple's marriage was already on the rocks before the incident in August, which happened after they had both been drinking and she went home first.
He said:"There had been some unpleasantness and she texted the people they had been drinking with asking them to persuade the defendant to stay with them.
"She went to sleep and was woken by banging on the front door and him shouting for the keys. She decided not to let him in personally but threw the keys out the window.
"Plainly, he was unable to find them because he shouted for her to get down there and do so. He continued banging on the door and she dialled 999.
"In the call there is the background noise of him banging and he can be heard making threats to the effect he is going to kill her. He is then heard smashing the glass in the lounge window.
"His wife tried to barricade herself in the bedroom by putting her back against the door and wedging her feet against a wardrobe, but it was to no avail.
"He smashed the door to pieces, took the mobile phone off her, and threw it down, thus ending the 999 call. He grabbed her around the throat and hit her and she was terrified."
Mr Barnes said the victim pushed him off and ran from the house in her pyjamas and was found in a state of distress by police.
Mr Tom Bradnock, defending, said:"My client is deeply remorseful about his actions but they were in the context of a marital breakdown. They have both moved on and he is living with another partner.
"He is self employed and runs a garage and last year he took home £9,000. He is already paying compensation to the Housing Association for the damage to the window and door."
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