A MAN who grabbed his pregnant fiancee by the throat before pushing her to the floor could face a custodial sentence, a court was told.

Daniel Weatherby was at home with Victoria Childs and their young child on Sunday, June 21 before “flipping out”, Worcester Magistrates Court was told.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting, said Miss Childs was upstairs when she heard Weatherby, aged 19, throwing things around downstairs. Miss Childs, who was 36 weeks pregnant at the time, went to investigate the problem but was grabbed by the throat and pushed up against the wall.

Mr Dodson said Weatherby squeezed Miss Child’s throat until she felt light-headed and on the brink of collapsing. Weatherby then pushed his fiancee in the back as she ran towards the living room, causing her to fall face down.

The court was told how he also threw a pushchair at Miss Childs which hit her in the stomach. Miss Childs managed to escape to the garden where she waited until Weatherby’s mother arrived at the house, in Bays Meadow, Droitwich.

Police were called and Weatherby was arrested later that evening. Miss Childs went to hospital, as she had not felt any movement from her unborn baby, but was told everything was all right with her pregnancy. Sarah Brady, defending said her client had simply “flipped out” following an argument on the phone with his mother and took his anger out on Miss Childs.

Ms Brady said Weatherby, who pleaded guilty to assault, was ashamed of his actions and had expressed an interest in taking part in a domestic violence programme. Magistrates adjourned the case for a full pre-sentence report to be carried out. Bench chairman Diane Harper said the bench had not ruled out sending Weatherby to a young offenders institution.

Weatherby, now of Griffin Avenue, Kidderminster, was given conditional bail to reappear at the court on Monday, November 23.

l Your Worcester News was the only member of the media at this hearing.