A TRIAL has started for a man accused of strangling his ex-partner and holding a machete against her throat.

Neil Litt is on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with one count each of intentional strangulation and possession of a bladed article.

The 44-year-old is accused of attending his former partner’s address in Bicester on December 30 last year and making threats with the weapon.

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Litt has already pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating and one count of threatening the complainant with a bladed article.

However, he denies strangling her and bringing the machete to the home, alleging the machete was already in the property.

The trial started on Tuesday (August 13), with the prosecuting barrister explaining that Litt and the complainant had been in a relationship and have three children together.

However, the pair split in April 2022 and the complainant moved away.

“Since November 2023 the defendant has frequently been trying to get back together with [the woman],” said the prosecuting barrister.

“On December 29, [the woman] sent a message to the defendant stating she did not want him to contact her anymore.

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“However, she provided a telephone number for the defendant to be able to call their children.

“On December 30, she was at her home and she began receiving voicemails from Mr Litt. At about 7.15pm, she heard a knock at the door.

“She opened the door slightly and saw that it was the defendant, she went to close the door and the defendant pushed the door open with his righthand and this knocked into [the woman] causing her to fall on the stairs.”

It was explained this was the assault by beating charge.

"It is alleged that Litt then strangled the woman before pulling a sheathed machete from his trousers.

He reportedly held it to her neck and said: “You made me do this. You wouldn’t let me speak to the kids.”

The woman then called to her youngest child, who was five years old at the time, to flag down a neighbour.

He managed to find a nearby neighbour who came over and ‘talked down’ Litt while the woman went upstairs and called the police.

The prosecuting barrister said the woman sounds ‘distressed’ throughout the 999 call and alleges Litt can be heard shouting in the background.

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Litt, of Clements Way, Faringdon, was then arrested and charged.

The jury heard that the defendant was charged in 2015 with grabbing the same woman by the throat and holding an iron near it.

The trial continues.