A THUG tried to strangle his girlfriend and repeatedly bashed her head against a wall after a row over a milkshake.

And after Brett Barlow had injured his partner he rang his mum in tears to falsely claim she had attacked HIM.

Barlow, aged 41, even lied to police saying he had not been with her on the day she was injured — untruths exposed when officers checked phone records and CCTV.

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court Barlow, who has a lengthy criminal record, was jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to causing actual bodily harm.

David Toal, prosecuting, told how the defendant, who was a regular drug user, and his partner had been in a "volatile" relationship for 16 months.

On November 8 last year the pair had been out in her car.

"On the way home the defendant began to argue with her, accusing her of drinking a milkshake," said Mr Toal.

And when they arrived back at her property Barlow took Diazepam and started smoking crack cocaine.

"He accused the complainant of taking his crack cocaine and replacing it with porridge oats," said Mr Toal.

"The argument escalated and, using her words, he 'lost the plot'."

Barlow put his fingers in her mouth, dragged her around the room and grabbed her round the neck with both hands.

"She says that his eyes were really crazy," said Mr Toal, who added that Barlow told her: "Don't f*** with me girl, you don't know what I am capable of."

The court heard how Barlow repeatedly slammed her head against the kitchen wall, leaving blood on the surface, and threw her against a piano.

"She describes that at one stage she was choking and couldn't breathe. The defendant was squeezing her neck so hard that she began to see stars," said Mr Toal.

After the attack Barlow began to blame the woman for it.

"He actually telephoned his mother in tears claiming that she had attacked him," said Mr Toal.

Judge Angela Nield were shown pictures of injuries the woman suffered, including a deep cut to the top of her head and bruising on her neck and arm and was told that the victim is still suffering psychologically.

When interviewed by police Barlow claimed the injuries had been caused by someone else.

"He called her dangerous and scary — a fruit loop," said Mr Toal.

But while remanded in prison he contacted his victim, made veiled threats and tried to get her to retract her complaint.

The court heard that Barlow, of Walmersley Road, Bury, has convictions for 183 offences, mainly for dishonesty, and offences of violence generally occurred when he assaulted staff while shoplifting.

Stuart Duke, defending, stressed that Barlow does not have a criminal record for domestic violence but has been a long-standing drug addict.

He added that the five months he has already spent in Forest Bank prison on remand have been difficult for him.

"He has been assaulted on one occasion and has lost his accommodation and so is now homeless," said Mr Duke.

Jailing him, Judge Nield told Barlow: "You lost your temper, not only verbally, but physically.

"I have seen photographs of the bruises and injuries, which must have been very distressing.

"Whilst the scars of the assault will, no doubt in time heal, it is difficult to see how quickly the consequences which followed will take to settle down."