A councillor accused of strangling his partner has told a court it was actually her who attacked him while she was in a rage over his former relationships.

Ashley Farrall, who represents Macclesfield Central on Cheshire East Council, is on trial at Chester Crown Court on charges of strangulation and trying to pervert the course of justice, both of which he denies.

He told the court that their son's difficult birth had been 'horrific' and had taken a toll on his partner.

The 43-year-old said they had both been assessed by a perinatal mental health team and says his partner was diagnosed with PTSD, depression and was said by the team to be at 'high risk' of developing post-natal psychosis.

Farrall, who broke down several times while giving evidence, said she had begun to self-medicate with alcohol because it was 'the only way she could sleep'.

Giving evidence earlier this week, his partner said they were watching a TV show called Married at First Sight on November 14 last year after drinking beer and wine.

She alleged that following a comment about sex an argument ensued. She said the argument continued upstairs and culminated in him pushing her in to the banister and grabbing her neck with one hand.

But taking to the stand on Friday, August 8, Farrall told the court a different version of events.

He said: "She started saying the names of my ex-partners. She snapped and had gone for me. She lunged at me in the face bearing her teeth.

"I pushed her in her upper chest area and she fell back against the banister.

"She threw a glass at me which hit me in the side of the head and punched me in the face."

He said his partner then said 'you're strangling me', even though he said he was not in physical contact with her. He said he wondered if she meant the term metaphorically.

On the evening itself he said he would call the police but his partner called them and he was arrested. His bail conditions prevented him from contacting her, but the court heard subsequent meetings did take place.

He denied putting pressure on her to change her statement and said she had wanted him to plead guilty at his initial court hearing, but became 'angry' when he refused to do so.

He said: "She would say I didn't care about her and didn't love her. It felt like gas-lighting, like blackmail. But I've always maintained I'm not guilty."

Farrall denies the charges.

The trial continues.