THROTTLING a man with a belt until he passed out led David Onions's victim to believe he was going to die, Isle of Wight magistrates heard.

Onions, 39, of Manor Crescent, Newport, reached through a car window where his victim, Daniel Parkman, was sitting and slipped the belt around his neck, pulling it tightly until he was unconscious.

Terri Cleary, who was with Mr Parkman, managed to wrestle the belt from Onions and Mr Parkman regained consciousness.

However, Onions put the belt against her face and struck her with the belt buckle.

Onions admitted one charge of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, and further charges of assault by beating and assaulting a person occasioning them actual bodily harm, when he appeared before Isle of Wight magistrates today (Friday).

The court heard Mr Parkman had finished work at a pub in the early hours of December 22 and was warming up his car in a car park.

Onions knocked on the car window and Mr Parkman opened the door.

Without warning, Onions reached in and placed the belt around his neck, pulling it so tightly that Mr Parkman lost consciousness.

"It would appear to me, it was only the intervention of Miss Cleary that prevented Mr Parkman being killed," said Vivian Ducie, prosecuting.

The defendant was heard to say he was going to kill him because of an alleged incident involving Onions's daughter, the court was told.

The court was told Onions had no previous convictions for violence.

For Onions, Oscar Vincent said his client had taken the law into his own hands but his behaviour was not typical.

He had been shocked at his behaviour and had appointments with his GP. He had also given up drinking.

The case was adjourned for sentencing to the Isle of Wight Crown Court on March 1, and Onions was granted conditional bail.