A SOUTHAMPTON man pinned his former girlfriend to the bed and choked her just weeks after he was released from prison for the same offence.

Keiran Claffey sneaked into his former partner’s flat in Southampton and launched an attack on her – in which he strangled her until she “saw stars” in her eyes.

The attack happened just a fortnight after he had been released from prison for a similar incident.

During Claffey’s sentencing at Southampton Crown Court, prosecutor Andrew Houston said the most recent attack had “chilling echoes” of the previous assault.

The court heard how the 25-year-old was jailed for five months after pleading guilty to causing actual bodily harm (ABH) to his former partner in December last year.

During that attack, he put his hands round her neck as well as punched and kicked his victim.

Mr Houston said that while Claffey was in Guys Marsh Prison he was caught using a mobile phone to text his victim – which he was banned from doing via a restraining order.

He was released on March 21.

But Mr Houston told the court that on April 8 Claffey attended his victim’s address and let himself in.

He said Claffey attempted to look through his ex-girlfriend’s mobile phone before calling her names.

Mr Houston said Claffey then attacked her, pinning her arms to the bed and then his hands around her throat.

In mitigation, Khalid Missouri said Claffey had faced a difficult upbringing.

He said Claffey’s visit to his ex-partner was sparked by “frustration” at not being able to see his son – whose mother is the victim.

Claffey, of Cecil Road, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to having a mobile phone in prison, breaching a restraining order and ABH.

He was jailed for a total of 25 months.