A man from Sutton battered and strangled his girlfriend after a night-out in Croydon. 

Alex McCaffrey, 30, repeatedly punched and kicked his then-partner, before he grabbed her by the neck and strangled her. 

Last Monday (November 13) McCaffrey, of Shaw Way in Wallington, appeared at Inner London Crown Court by a video link from Thameside prison where he has been since his arrest in March. 

He was given a 16-month sentence, meaning he will be released immediately as he has already served over half of the sentence. 

The court heard that on March 23 McCaffrey went back to his then-girlfriend's home after a night of drinking in Croydon. 

At around 2am he assaulted her, pushed her to the living room floor and punched her a number of times, the court was told. 

He then strangled her until she kicked him and forced him to let go, the court was told. 

As he left the flat he bombarded her with insults and kicked the door. 

McCaffrey then left a number of answerphone messages telling her to kill herself and threatening her, the court was told. 

The 30-year-old was arrested on March 26 and has been in custody at HMP Thameside since. 

The court heard that McCaffrey said he “snapped” that evening but insists he was not regularly abusive towards the victim. 

However, he added that he was deeply regretful about what happened. 

McCaffrey ran a locksmith business in Sutton but that stopped overnight when he was convicted. 

His barrister said: “This incident has pretty much ruined his life.” 

McCaffrey was jailed for one year and four months, meaning he will be released almost immediately as he has already served half of that sentence.