A man grabbed his ex-wife around the throat and told her "I'm going to kill you".

Mindaugas Endriukaitas, 38, had been married to the victim for almost 20 years but was separated from her at the time he attacked her on July 19 last year.

Norwich Crown Court heard the victim was walking in Great Yarmouth town centre with her brother at about 1am when Endriukaitas "appeared suddenly" from a doorway and "grabbed his wife around the throat".

Sarah Taylor, prosecuting, said Endriukaitas, was on bail at the time with conditions not to contact his wife, told the victim "I'm going to kill you".

She was pushed back with force by Endriukaitas who was tackled by her brother who dragged him off.

He was helped by a group of young men who also intervened.

The victim, who sustained a red mark to her neck as a result, described being very frightened and said she "feared for her life" during the incident.

Endriukaitas, of Union Road, Yarmouth, made no comment in interview but appeared at court on Monday (January 10) having previously admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Sentencing Endriukaitas to 12 months in prison, Judge Maureen Bacon said: "Your wife had been terrified during the attack, but mercifully only sustained a mark to her neck."

Judge Bacon said his wife was still "very wary of you and she has a right to be so".

Rob Pollington, mitigating, said his client, who has no previous convictions, accepted this was a "wholly unpleasant experience" for the victim but was "fleeting" and lasted for less than a minute.

Mr Pollington said it was accepted there was some level of injury as well as psychological dismay but insisted it has had limited impact on her.

He said the defendant, who has two children, was a man who was "struggling" to come to terms with the breakdown of his marriage and accepts he was "in drink" at the time and also on bail.

Endriukaitas was also made the subject of a restraining order preventing him from contacting her directly or indirectly, save through a solicitor, until further order.