A Cheshire councillor has been cleared of strangling his partner during a row at their home.

Ashley Farrall, who represents Macclesfield Central on Cheshire East Council, had been standing trial at Chester Crown Court where he had denied two charges – one of intentional strangulation, and another of committing acts with intent to pervert the course of public justice.

At the conclusion of the eight-day trial, the jury returned a not guilty verdict on the strangulation charge, but convicted the 43-year-old of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The former charge related to an incident which occurred on November 14 last year between Farrall and his partner.

Over the course of the trial, the court heard how the couple had been drinking beer and wine and, while watching the TV show Married at First Sight, a row had erupted and continued upstairs as their baby son slept in the next room.

The court then heard two different versions of the events which were said to have taken place next.

Giving evidence last week, his partner alleged he had attacked her during the row, but when Farrall, took to the witness stand, he said the opposite was true and that his partner had in fact attacked him.

The charge of attempting to pervert justice relates to a number of incidents which took place in the weeks following the November 14 row.

The terms of Farrall's bail conditions had meant he was not allowed to contact his partner.

But the court head Farrall – whose address was given in court as Ellenbrook Road, Manchester – had given his partner a phone on which they could communicate.

They also met several times, including at Poynton Pool and near his partner's mother's house at Prestatyn, where they discussed her withdrawing her statement.

She told the court she had wanted him to plead guilty and 'admit to what he had done'. But Farrall refused to do so and told the court he had 'always maintained he was not guilty'.

Farrall will return to court on the week beginning September 29 for sentencing on this charge.