A MAN has been acquitted by a jury of twice assaulting his ex-girlfriend occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Damian O’Sullivan, 30, was on trial at Preston Crown Court this week accused of punching his ex-girlfriend in the throat and to the back of her head multiple times on two separate occasions.

READ MORE: Man accused of assaulting ex-girlfriend including spraying Febreeze in her face

The court heard O’Sullivan moved into the complainant’s home on Walney soon after beginning their relationship in October 2022.

Prosecutor Hanifa Patel attempted to persuade jurors that O’Sullivan sprayed Febreze in the victim’s face on September 10 last year.

She said it came as a result of him refusing to leave the following morning after returning home intoxicated at around 5am.

Ms Patel then alleged to the jury how Mr O’Sullivan pushed the victim onto the bed and assaulting her several times to the back of the head before attempting to tie her up with rope.

However, the jury believed O’Sullivan’s version of events who denied the allegation.

Giving live evidence on the stand he told the jury his ex-partner was ‘aggressive and confrontational’ when questioning him about other women and that it was instead her that sprayed the air freshener at him.

“She would accuse me of being with absolutely everyone and everybody,” he said.

“She was delusional and very jealous. It was all very one sided.”

READ MORE: ‘I was emasculated, degraded and abused’ – Man denies assaults on his ex-girlfriend

Ms Patel then alleged Mr O’Sullivan threw a washing basket at his ex-partner’s face before punching her two or three times to the throat on September 17 after he had again returned home intoxicated in the early hours of the morning.

The jury however sided with Mr O’Sullivan once again.

He told the jury he went straight to bed and that his former partner sprayed him with air freshener once again and through water over him.  

“She picked up anything she could and threw it at me,” he said.

“When she started hitting me, I slapped her with an open hand. I just wanted her to stop.

“She had made me feel really angry. I pushed the washing basket back into her and she rang the police because she was scared.

“I never punched her with full force to the throat. If I did, I probably would have killed her.

“I was emasculated, degraded and abused in every way possible for nine months. She ruined my life.”

A jury on September 5 deliberated over the evidence in the case for three hours and eight minutes before unanimously finding O’Sullivan not guilty on both counts.

O’Sullivan, of Salisbury Road, Lancaster admitted a separate charge of assault by beating on August 22 last year against his ex-partner.

He will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on November 5.