A SENIOR police officer has denied "flipping" during a domestic row and attacking his then wife.

Fred Elrick, a chief inspector with the Northumbria force, claims he was merely trying to restrain his now ex-wife, Pauline, when she accused him of "flirting" with two women at a taxi rank.

He was giving evidence on the third day of his trial for allegedly punching, kicking and partially choking Mrs Elrick on returning from a night out to their home in Tunstall, Sunderland, in June, 2006.

Mr Elrick told the court that he had an affair with a woman from 2003 until his wife confronted him about it, in June 2005.

He said they then tried to "make a go" of their marriage and he stopped seeing the other woman, although at times things were "strained" with his wife.

On the night in question he said he merely innocently spoke to two women also awaiting a taxi, but when he and Mrs Elrick reached home she was angry with him and began prodding him in the chest.

He said he decided to leave the house but she kept pushing him as he tried to get up from his chair, and he said she also scratched him in the face so he tried to take hold of her arms.

In the struggle that followed she fell over and struck the side of her face on the fireside, causing him to also fall, landing on her.

Mr Elrick said he then left the house but he knew that this was effectively the end of their marriage, and they have since divorced, while he has resumed his relationship with the other woman.

Cross-examining him, prosecuting barrister Anne Richardson, suggested that he had become "sick and tired" of his wife bringing up about the relationship with the other woman.

But Mr Elrick said: "I wasn't sick and tired of it. I could understand Pauline's point of view."

Mrs Richardson then said: "You flipped and hit her."

Mr Elrick replied: "Absolutely not."

Mrs Richardson then said: "You were strangling her so she couldn't breathe.

"You realised what you were doing and sat back and stared straight ahead, didn't you?"

Mr Elrick replied: "My account was a truthful one."

The 49-year-old officer, who is suspended from his job, denies assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Christopher Prince will sum up the evidence to the jury tomorrow.