A woman has been left traumatised after having to fake her own death during an attack.

Andrew Holden, 51, from Greenhithe, pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday.

Holden attacked his victim after waking up “in a bad mood” on Saturday 13 February 2016.

He knocked her to the ground and began strangling her.

As she feared for her life, the victim faked her own death, which caused Holden to release his grip from around her throat.

Seeing the opportunity to escape she fled the scene, bleeding and began hammering on neighbours doors for help.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Roger Harris said: “The victim in this case suffered bruising to her neck and severe haemorrhaging to her head and face caused by the pressure exerted by Holden, and which took a significant amount of time for her to recover from. Therefore clearly the consequences of this incident could have been far more serious.

‘Understandably the victim was extremely traumatised by what happened and there is no excuse for the ordeal Andrew Holden put her through.

‘I hope the sentence passed down sends a clear message that domestic abuse will not be tolerated and that Kent Police takes such reports very seriously.”