A barman throttled his wife until she passed out after a row about her daughter smoking in the house, a court heard.

Trevor Williamson, 50, of Butts Road, Southwick, was seen standing over his unconscious wife Rae, Worthing Magistrates' Court was told.

Williamson, who had admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and affray at an earlier hearing, was handed a 120-hour community penalty order.

Peter Lytle, prosecuting, said: "Police were met by a hysterical female, the victim's daughter, running out of the house saying, 'He has strangled my mum'.

"When they peered through the lounge window they saw an unconscious woman on the floor."

When Williamson let police in the house they found his wife was breathing but shallowly and deeply.

Mr Lytle told the court police had to restrain Williamson with pepper spray after he grabbed a dining room chair to throw and then a plant.

He said: "During the argument, she hit him about the head and he took her about the throat. She lost consciousness but has suffered no long-term injuries."

Wendy Holmes, defending, said Mrs Williamson's teenage daughter from a previous relationship had come to live with the family and this had caused both Mr and Mrs Williamson a lot of stress.

She said: "The argument on this particular occasion led to violence for the first time as a result of the daughter smoking in the house.

"They have rules about smoking in the house but she just wouldn't go out into the garden."

She said Mrs Williamson had been drinking on March 6 this year, when the incident happened, and it was because of the alcohol she had passed out.

She said they both accepted there was no excuse for their behaviour.

Magistrate Pat Town told Williamson: "This was a nasty incident. It is appalling behaviour to be totally out of control.

"This sort of behaviour is very serious but there were obviously underlying family differences that must be sorted out. I do not want to see you back in this court."

Williamson was sentenced to a 120-hour community penalty order for each offence, to run concurrently, and ordered to pay £118 costs.