A property developer appeared in court accused of choking his wife during a dispute at their home in Dorset. Paul Pressland, 63, allegedly attacked his wife, Gemma Martin, 52, in their £3 million Sandbanks residence on December 1, 2024, following an argument over her decision to file for divorce amid allegations of his infidelity.

According to testimony at Salisbury Crown Court, the couple had shared a Sunday roast with family after Pressland had consumed nearly a bottle of red wine. After the guests left, Pressland confronted Martin after learning from a friend that she had initiated divorce proceedings. The confrontation escalated into a heated argument, during which Martin threw a slipper at her husband.

Prosecutors contend that Pressland responded by pinning Martin against a door and strangling her. Martin, an interior designer, told the court that although she initially told Pressland she wanted a divorce, she had not informed him that the filing was based on his alleged adultery. After the alleged assault, Martin reportedly agreed not to tell anyone but later decided to report the incident two days afterward.

Martin described the encounter as follows: “It was a heated discussion. We decided to go to bed, he continued the argument upstairs. I was frustrated and I threw a slipper after he walked into the spare bedroom. He came back into the main bedroom. He grabbed my arms with both his hands. I pushed back.” She added that during the altercation she scratched Pressland and that he then pushed her against a sliding bathroom door, placing his hands around her throat and squeezing tightly. Martin recalled struggling to breathe as she experienced dizziness and panic, and that he released her after about five seconds, after which she fell to the floor and began to panic.

Prosecutor Harriet Summerhayes characterized the case as an incident of domestic violence between a long-term couple during which alcohol was a contributing factor. “One night when in drink, their relationship took a turn,” she said.

Pressland denies the charge of intentional strangulation, asserting that he acted in self-defense. His attorney, Graham Gilbert, suggested that Pressland sought to end the argument by retreating to a spare room, only for Martin to follow and attack him. Gilbert claimed that any injuries Martin sustained were inflicted during this struggle.

Martin rejected this account, stating that the defense's version of events did not occur.

The trial is ongoing.