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A personal trainer who attacked a former transgender client has narrowly avoided a prison sentence.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how David Sharples, 30, choked and punched Tazmin Yates and gave her 10 minutes to try and escape.

Sharples had been drinking and taking cocaine in his home with Yates when he reportedly received a call from somebody who owed him money.

The call sent Sharples into a fit of a rage and he began to insult Yates with transphobic slurs.

He called her a “f*cking tranny” and “freak” to provoke a response from her.

Yates, who used to be a client of the personal trainer, allegedly slapped him after becoming upset and Sharples began to punch and strangle his victim.

He then set a 10-minute timer and told her she had to escape before the time was up.

Prosecutor David Jones that there were “two sides” to Sharples’ personality which Yates had not seen prior to the attack which took place in 2015.

Jones told the court: “This was particularly abusive towards Miss Yates as she describes herself as a pre-operation transgender woman.

“He continued verbally abusing her and spat in her face twice.

“Miss Yates admits that by this point she had had enough of the abuse and she accepts that she slapped the defendant as a result of the abuse.

“He is a six-foot bodybuilder, he stared at her for a moment before punching her in the face which caused her to fall to the floor.”

Sharples pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He avoided a prison sentence but was handed a 16-month prison sentence which has been suspended for 18 months.

He must also do 180 hours of unpaid work and 20 hours of rehabilitation.