A dustman has appeared in court to deny trying to strangle his partner.

Aron Coates was charged with intentional strangulation after an incident in Rochester on June 12 last year.

The 30-year-old was also charged with criminal damage in relation to a smashed mobile phone, a damaged front door and a broken telephone wire said to belong to his partner which was allegedly damaged during the same incident.

Coates, of Trinity Road, Gillingham, denied the strangulation offence when he appeared in the dock at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Thursday last week, with his solicitor also indicating he would be pleading not guilty to the criminal damage charge.

District Judge Stephen Leake heard Coates, who works as a dustman in the Medway area, had been in a relationship with the woman from July to December 2022.

He decided to send the case to Maidstone Crown Court to be dealt with and Coates was granted conditional bail until his next appearance.

He is expected to next appear at the crown court on July 27.