Blackpool man Aron Barton jailed by Preston Crown Court judge for assaulting ex-partner

A man who “went off the rails” by grabbing his former partner round the throat in a jealous rage has been jailed by a judge.

Aron Barton was said to have accused his ex-girlfriend of seeing someone else – even though they had been apart for seven months – and flew into a temper, squeezing her round the neck with both hands and then kneeing her twice in the ribs.

The 38-year-old, from Blackpool, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage, caused when he punched her fridge in anger. At the time his ex-partner’s five children were in the next room.

Sending him to prison for just over two years Judge Andrew Jefferies, who heard Barton had problems with alcohol and cannabis, told him: “It was jealousy. You just lost your temper, as simple as that.”

The court was told Barton and his girlfriend had been in a relationship for about five years. There had been no issues for the first two years, but he then became increasingly reliant on alcohol and his mental health deteriorated.

The couple had been separated for seven months and in January 2023 Barton was picking up their daughter while she collected some of her other children from school. When she arrived home Barton was in the house and said he had been told she was seeing someone. She said they were just friends.

At that point he became “very angry” and punched the fridge, damaging it. He then grabbed her on the throat with his right hand and squeezed. Then he grabbed her with both hands.

She was on the floor and Barton kneed her in the ribs twice, leaving her shocked and sore.

He was arrested by police later that night at his home in Derby Road, Blackpool. Police said he had scratches on his face by his right eye.

He told officers they had “got into an argument” and the woman had “come at him with a knife” so he tried to restrain her round the shoulders and neck. He later admitted that was not true and confessed what he had done.

Defence lawyer Claire Larton told Judge Jefferies her client had been in custody since November and that was his first experience of prison. She said during that time Barton had “significantly improved his position” because he was now off drink and drugs.

“He is doing well,” she said. “He admits he had developed a dependence on alcohol and he knew he was drinking too much. He had effectively gone off the rails.

“He acknowledges he needs to deal with his mental health. He requires and requests support with cannabis and alcohol alike.”

Judge Jefferies jailed Barton for 25 months, refusing a defence request to suspend the sentence saying: “I’m not satisfied that you have shown any real remorse.”

In addition to the jail sentence the judge made him the subject of a restraining order, banning him from contacting his ex-partner for three years after his release.