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A man who made his former partner feel 'like a puppet on his string' following years of controlling and coercive behaviour has avoided jail.

Rizwan Afzal initially denied the charge but pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial at Manchester Crown Court yesterday (November 17).

Prosecution barrister Jill Newton told the court how the now-31-year-old had met the victim on Facebook in 2017.

His behaviour towards her then 'deteriorated' throughout the relationship, becoming controlling in early 2020.

She said he smoked cannabis 'for medicinal purposes' as it provided him with pain relief from the psoriatic arthritis he suffered.

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"The victim describes how the cannabis had a negative impact on his mental health," she continu

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