"A tragic set of circumstances" unravelled earlier this year as an ex-soldier who had experienced "horrors" in Afghanistan assaulted a woman.

Aaron Jameson-Kennedy, 33, attacked the woman earlier this year.

Bolton Crown Court heard how he injured her and damaged her property.

Katy Laverty, prosecuting, said:  “It seems to be thankfully a short-lived incident, but I am unable to go further than that.”

During that evening, Jameson-Kennedy, of Leigh, also damaged his victim’s property, including a £150 television.

At a later point, Jameson-Kennedy hit her again and assaulted her by strangulation. 

Jameson-Kennedy was interviewed by police on September 4 and pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, assault and criminal damage the next day.

Rachel Folkes, defending, argued that the case became much more complex in light of Jameson-Kennedy’s background, particularly his experiences in Aghanistan.

She said: “It’s impossible for those who haven’t been to understand the horror.”

She added: “He’s somebody who’s plainly had a roller coaster of mental health problems throughout his life.”

Ms Folkes said that her client had worked hard to rebuild his life after returning home, had studied for a university degree but that the pandemic had put huge strain on him.

A letter written by Jameson-Kennedy to the judge, Recorder Michael Taylor, laid plain his regrets and remorse for his actions.

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Recorder Taylor accepted that the remorse was genuine and did not display the same poor attitudes to women that he often saw in similar cases.

He said: “This is something which on first impressions appears to be a simple case but when the case is looked at in more depth becomes considerably more complex.”

He accepted that a "tragic set of circumstances", had brought Jameson-Kennedy to the dock and that he was indeed sincerely sorry for his actions.

But Recorder Taylor felt that the gravity of assault meant that prison was the only appropriate response, though he was persuaded to shorten his sentence.

Recorder Taylor said: “It’s necessary for you to suffer punishment for what you have done.

He added: “Men need to know that if they behave like this then they will go to prison.”

Recorder Taylor sentenced Jameson-Kennedy to eight months in prison.