A COUNCIL worker feared for his life when a man strangled him and threatened to choke him while he was working, a court heard.

Simon Frederick Ford pushed the man and held his forearm to his throat preventing him from breathing after a disagreement over parking.

The 34-year-old was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on January 16 after pleading guilty to intentional strangulation.

The victim, who is employed by BCP Council, went to Turbary Park Avenue, West Howe, on November 30, 2022, to fix a resident’s door when he heard shouting outside.

Judge Robert Pawson said the man’s sin was to park in a place that affected Ford’s access.

The worker moved his van and continued working but saw Ford taking pictures of his vehicle, so in return took pictures of the defendant.

“He did nothing wrong and when you saw him you lost it,” said Judge Pawson.

The defendant ran towards the man, pushed him into the hallway and pressed down onto his throat to stop him from moving.

Ford pressed his knee into the man’s back while strangling him and said: “I am going to f****** choke you, you c***.”

The victim said he feared for his life and did not think the defendant would let go after preventing him from breathing for 10 to 15 seconds.

After wrestling free, Ford let go but immediately ‘painted himself as the victim’.

The defendant accused the man of attacking him and called the police himself, but threatened to bite the officers when they arrested him.

Prosecuting, Victoria Bastock said the victim had visible marks on his neck, a bruised tongue and difficulty swallowing after the assault.

He said in a statement that he has been left ‘nervous and jumpy’, and is worried about attending future jobs.

Mitigating, Nick Robinson said the defendant thought the man was taking pictures of his children and tried to ‘protect them’.

He added that the attack was ‘out of character’ but Judge Pawson disagreed and said his psychiatric report showed a history of angry outbursts.

Ford’s sister, Elizabeth Blackhall, told the court that her brother used to be a manager at Woolworth’s and lost his sight after stopping two shoplifters.

She said Ford also suffers from a brain injury because of a road traffic accident and that he is a vulnerable person.

Ford, previously of Good Road, Poole, has since moved to Devon.

He was jailed for 10 months.