A COLCHESTER man has been charged with intentional strangulation, assault by beating, and other offences. 

Dean Ersser, 42, of Holborough Close, Colchester, was arrested last week and was charged at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on May 17.

Mr Ersser was charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, intentional strangulation, criminal damage, two accounts of actual bodily harm, dangerous driving, and assault by beating.

Mr Ersser is next due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on June 14.

A spokesman from Essex Police said: “Domestic abuse is a priority and we’ve invested to support victims and catch perpetrators”.

“We use all tools available to us, including Domestic Violence Protection Notices (DVPN) and restraining orders, as well as Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPO) and Stalking Protection Orders (SPO).”

“This approach is working with 700 fewer domestic abuse offences in the last year and fewer repeat victims.”

The criminal offence of non-fatal strangulation or suffocation was created by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and applies when a person intentionally strangles or suffocates another person, including with domestic abuse.

The offence has the same maximum penalty as actual bodily harm (ABH) but without the same “evidential requirements” as ABH which was “problematic” in prosecuting such cases.