Businessman allegedly strangled wife in row after Sunday roast with in-laws

A wealthy property developer strangled his wife in a drunken row after a family Sunday roast at their £3m Sandbanks home, a court has heard.

Paul Pressland, 63, had drunk almost a bottle of red wine before dinner with his in-laws before he confronted his wife, Gemma Martin, about her filing for divorce, a jury was told.

It led to a heated argument during which Ms Martin threw a slipper at her husband, who she claimed had been unfaithful in their marriage.

Prosecutors say the company director reacted by pinning his 52-year-old wife against their en suite bathroom door.

He is alleged to have placed his hands around her throat and squeezed until her eyes “bulged”, before dropping her to the floor.

Ms Martin initially told Pressland she would not tell anyone about what happened as long as he granted her a divorce, it is alleged.

But two days later, she went to play tennis with her then 19-year-old son Henry and decided in the car park to report the incident to police online.

She got her son to take pictures of the bruises and marks that she alleges were caused by Pressland.

The mother-of-three also had the locks of their luxury harbourside home in Poole, Dorset, while her husband was away working in London.

Pressland denies a charge of intentional strangulation and claims that he acted in self-defence. He has gone on trial at Salisbury Crown Court.

The court heard the couple had been together for about 10 years, but only married for two at the time of the incident. They lived on the exclusive Sandbanks peninsula with two of Ms Martin’s children from a previous relationship.

Ms Martin said she had told her husband that she wanted a divorce but not that she had filed for one “on the grounds of his adultery”.

She told the court that on the day of the row, 1 December 2024, she had taken part in a charity swim, which her mother went to watch.

Afterwards, her parents joined them for a roast dinner which Pressland had cooked while they were out.

She said her husband started drinking before she got home between 5pm and 5.30pm, as she noticed a bottle of wine was three-quarters empty.

She said they had a nice family dinner, with everyone “in good spirits”, but after her parents left about 8.30pm Pressland’s mood changed.

Ms Martin said: “During the meal he was very light-hearted; when everyone left he became morose and agitated; he was argumentative.

“I had told him that I wanted a divorce; I hadn’t told him that I had filed. He was upset I had filed for divorce on the grounds of his adultery.

“It was a heated discussion from both sides. We decided to go to bed, he continued the argument upstairs.

“It got to a point where he walked away at the height of the argument. I was frustrated and I threw a slipper after he walked into the spare bedroom.

“He came back into the main bedroom. I think he pushed me, he grabbed my arm and the corridor is quite narrow and I remember falling from one side to the other. I was frightened.

“He grabbed my arms with both his hands. I pushed back.

“He punched me in my ribs and my back.”

The jury heard that Ms Martin lashed out and scratched Pressland.

She added: “He then pushed me against the en suite bathroom sliding door, put his hands around my throat and started to squeeze.

“I remember him squeezing and everything going a little blank. I couldn’t breathe; I could feel my head spinning and my eyes bulging.

“I just thought, ‘This is it’. I felt overpowered.

“He let go after about five seconds and I fell to the floor. I started screaming, hyperventilating and went into a panic attack. I was in shock from severe trauma.”

The court heard her two sons rushed into the room and called their grandparents to come back while Pressland went into the spare bedroom.

Ms Martin said the next morning she went to speak to Pressland and told him she wouldn’t tell anyone what he had done but she wanted a divorce.

She said: “I said ‘you tried to strangle me’ and he said ‘I’m sorry’.”

She told the court he left for work in London and she spent the day on the sofa.

It was the next day that she decided to call the police.

Harriet Summerhayes, prosecuting, said: “This is a case of domestic violence, two people who have been together for a very long time.

“One night, when in drink, their relationship took a turn.

“They started having a verbal argument, the reason because Mr Pressland discovered Ms Martin had filed for a divorce. He discovered via a friend and not Ms Martin, this made him particularly cross that day.

“During the course of the argument, he took off his wedding ring and threw it across the room.

“They both went upstairs, the argument continued and escalated into a physical argument.”

Graham Gilbert, defending, said that Pressland had bought the Sandbanks house for Ms Martin in 2017 but didn’t move in with them until July 2022.

Mr Gilbert suggested Pressland had tried to end the conversation and go to bed in the spare room alone and Ms Martin had followed and attacked him, throwing the slipper at him.

He said she then came back and attacked him several times, hitting him in the face and upper body, then pulling him onto the landing by his hair.

He also alleged her injuries were sustained in the struggle as Pressland tried to defend himself.

Ms Martin said that his version of events “did not happen”.

The trial continues.

The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org