Emmanuel Samuel denied bail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, charged with choking and aggravated assault

‘Don’t care if I go to jail:’ A man allegedly choked his girlfriend because she had his Snapchat account open, before using his phone to film himself abusing her, a court heard.

A man allegedly choked and punched his girlfriend because she had his Snapchat account open on her phone, a court has heard.

Emmanuel Kanga Samuel spent his 20th birthday applying for bail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend in Adelaide on January 10.

A police prosecutor opposed the bail application, saying the allegations were serious.

“There were some arguments about access to Snapchat … the defendant’s Snapchat account was opened on her phone,” the police prosecutor said.

“The complainant states that she’s run away from him – he’s chased her, grabbed her by the hair to pull her back, thrown her into the wall and punched her approximately three times to the left side of the face.

“He’s then put both his hands around her neck and squeezed.”

The court heard Samuel allegedly squeezed his partner’s neck for about 30 seconds and made comments threatening to kill her.

“He’s then pulled out his own phone and started filming the complainant whilst verbally abusing her,” the police prosecutor said.

The court heard Samuel’s friends then intervened.

The police prosecutor said the alleged victim had bruises around neck and they had seized the video from Samuel’s phone.

“During an interview, he said he lost it and started shouting at the victim because she had his Snapchat account on her phone,” the police prosecutor said.

“He stated he doesn’t care if he goes to jail … and admitted to choking the victim.”

Emmanuel Samuel was denied bail in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, charged with aggravated assault. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dean Martin

Samuel, of Munno Para West, is charged with choking, suffocating or strangling a person and aggravated assault.

He is yet to enter any pleas.

The court heard Samuel denies threatening to kill the alleged victim and choking her for more than a few seconds.

Aaron Almeida, for Samuel, told the court home detention bail could monitor Samuel’s alcohol issues which seemed to be the source of the alleged offending.

“This incident has upset him and it’s obviously upset the victim,” he said.

“Perhaps upset her a whole lot more,” chief magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal replied.

Mr Almeida said Samuel recognises that the relationship between him and his partner is over.

“The period in custody has been significant,” he said.

“He has the benefit of a very supportive family … they’re shocked at this incident.”

The court heard Samuel had been working as a forklift driver prior to being in custody.

Ms Hribal denied Samuel bail, saying it was a strong prosecution case and partial admissions had already been made.

The charges were adjourned until April.