Alex Durkin, 21, of Gibson Road in Dagenham, was living in Greenwich when he attacked his then-girlfriend on two occasions.
He pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation, two assaults and criminal damage but walked free from Woolwich Crown Court with a suspended sentence on Tuesday, April 29.
The court heard that the first attack took place last August when he and the victim returned to her flat after they had been drinking.
When he became aggressive the victim began filming, capturing the moment he grabbed her by the throat with both hands and strangled her, prosecutor Mr Ilyas said.
He said it was unclear how long the strangling lasted but the video showed that even after 30 seconds the victim was struggling to breathe and calling for Durkin to stop.
Durkin then punched her in the face and ripped a radiator off the wall, the court heard.
He broke the victim’s laptop in half then punched her in the eye, the court heard.
Mr Ilyas said that when Durkin was arrested he admitted the offences and told officers his girlfriend had annoyed him by asking him to open up and asking if he was ok too frequently.
Durkin, who had no previous convictions or cautions, pleaded guilty to the charges at a hearing at Bromley Magistrates’ Court three days after that attack.
Miss Wilson, defending, said her client was extremely remorseful and had since sought help to address his behaviour.
Miss Wilson, defending, said: “He is very young and this was his first serious relationship, a relation which coincided with the death of his grandmother who he was very close to.
“He struggled to deal with the emotions of that time and the intense feeling this relationship brought out in him.”
She said Durkin had removed himself from the Greenwich area whilst these proceedings were ongoing but intends to return for work.
He currently has two job offers – one as a maintenance worker at Dulwich College and the other at a children’s playground where he had previously worked.
“Speaking to him today, he is absolutely determined to never come back before the court and has learnt a very hard lesson,” she said.
Recorder Alex Stein told Durkin the court takes domestic violence against women very seriously as murder cases so often are a result of an escalation of offences like these.
However, the defendant’s mitigation convinced the judge that he could suspended the sentence.
Durkin was given a one-year prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He will be required to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days.
