Brendan Michael Eldridge choked his partner, knocked her unconscious and told her she could not leave

A Gold Coast man who choked his partner, knocked her unconscious on a wooden step and refused to let her leave their bedroom was free to walk out of the front doors at court.

A Gold Coast man who choked his partner, knocked her unconscious on a wooden step and refused to let her leave their bedroom has walked out of the front doors at court.

It is still not clear why Brendan Michael Eldridge attacked his partner in the early hours of a morning about two years ago.

The entire ordeal lasted for three hours until the 38-year-old suddenly stopped.

Eldridge pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court to choking, assault occasioning bodily harm, assault and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Judge Katherine McGinness sentenced him last week to two and a half years’ prison with immediate parole.

Brendan Michael Eldridge (right) leaves Southport Courthouse.

She also ordered Eldridge to pay the woman $7000 in compensation.

“In these cases where victims are subjected to choking or strangulation they are placed at serious personal risk and a fatality can often be a consequence,” Judge McGinness said.

“I accept you have been motivated to ensure this type of thing does not occur again.”

Crown prosecutor Mitch Whelan said Eldridge and his partner began drinking at a barbecue on February 15, continued to drink into the night and went to bed heavily intoxicated.

He said the woman woke up about 2am to find Eldridge standing beside the bed, naked and mumbling.

“She turned the bedroom light on and he began yelling at her and squeezed her throat for around five seconds,” Mr Whelan said.

“She screamed and he placed a hand over her mouth and placed her in a choke hold.”

The court was told he held her for about 15 seconds.

The woman went to the bathroom and vomited and Mr Whelan said when she returned Eldridge abused her and told her she wasn’t allowed to go to the bathroom or leave the bedroom.

He then grabbed the woman by the nose and put his palm over her mouth.

Mr Whelan said when the woman thought Eldridge was asleep she tried to creep out of the house but Eldridge followed her.

She convinced him to let her have a cigarette but attacked her again going up the stairs.

Mr Whelan said Eldridge banged her head on the wooden step which rendered her unconscious for a short period.

He said when the woman woke up Eldridge’s hand was over her mouth and he abused her, making threats to kill her.

In the bedroom the woman asked Eldridge “why he was doing this”.

In response Eldridge asked her to say that she loved him.

Mr Whelan said when the woman refused, Eldridge grabbed her again before suddenly letting her go and leaving the home.

The woman texted a neighbour who came over an hour later and helped her get medical assistance.

Defence barrister Nick McGhee, instructed by Gatenby Criminal Lawyers, said Eldridge had undergone counselling since the incident and taken steps towards rehabilitation.

He said the relationship between Eldridge and the woman had been “fairly volatile”.

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