An abusive police officer tried to strangle his detective girlfriend in one of a series of attacks, a court heard.

Fleur Jones, 36, told a jury her partner Ian Collings laughed as he squeezed her throat.

It was the fourth time Collings, a Gatwick detective constable and a promising officer who hoped to get into Special Branch, had attacked her in as many months, Worthing Mag-istrates' Court heard.

Ms Jones, herself a detective constable in Brighton CID, said on one occasion the police officer had threatened to kill her.

Collings, 42, of Boundary Road, Worthing, denied four counts of common assault yesterday.

Crying as she took the stand, Ms Jones said the first assault occurred on March 5, 2006.

She said Collings tried to push her down the stairs so she ran to the bedroom where he beat her with a handbag before punching her and throwing her across the room, ripping her clothes.

Ms Jones said he then went for her neck. She told the court: "I said, Ian, what are you doing? Do you know what you are doing?' "He put his hands around my neck and squeezed my neck. He said, I know exactly what I'm doing.

I hate you. I hate you. Now get out before I kill you.' "

Ms Jones later told how she wrote details of the abuse into her investigations notebook and took photos of her injuries with a digital camera, both of which were produced in court.

In two further attacks, Collings hit her across the face with a diary and shoved her in the back, the court heard.

Ms Jones, described as a "diligent and professional police officer" repeatedly broke down in the witness box.

The court heard that before the final assault, on May 26, the pair had been arguing over Mr Collings' daughter.

Having decided they would split up, they began fighting over the flat keys.

Ms Jones said: "He had his hands up to my throat.

I remember I heard myself making a gurgling noise, like it wasn't really me. He started to laugh and said, go on, gurgle.' I thought I was going to faint.

"He got scared and took his hands away. Then I started to scream as loud as I could, Police! Help police!' He hit her hard on the nose as she tried to get away, she said. "All the blood was pouring into my hands and I just thought, Is this the person you love and who is supposed to love you?' "

Ms Jones said she then ran downstairs and locked herself in the bathroom where she had to phone police twice before her fellow officers arrived.

Neighbours heard Ms Jones screaming and Kelly Stevens, now of Shaftesbury Avenue, Worthing, said Collings later told her: "I'm really sorry I hit her. I shouldn't have done it."

Ms Jones claims he then threw down his warrant card as he prepared for arrest.

Defending Collings, Terry Brookes accused Ms Jones of instigating fights, punching and kicking her boyfriend.

She denied the allegations and said she had not reported the assaults because she did not want to ruin Collings' career.

She was proud, she added, that he was going into Special Branch.

She said: "He usually said he was sorry and that it wouldn't happen again. I wanted to believe him. I loved him so much.

"I know it sounds pathetic but I did."

Mr Brookes said: "I have to put it to you that each of the four incidents I've described illustrate a very fraught relationship between you and him where the phrase six of one and half-a-dozen of the other' applies."

Ms Jones answered, "possibly," then added: "I think lots of times I did irritate Ian because I couldn't be all he wanted me to be.

"I don't always leave the toilet seat down or the tea towels straight."

The trial is due to continue tomorrow.