HALIFAX — A former soldier who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder has been sentenced to four years in prison for choking his 17-year-old daughter until he thought she was dead.
Robin Andrew Clifford of New Glasgow, N.S., was originally charged with attempted murder but he later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.
Nova Scotia provincial court Judge Del Atwood said the 45-year-old had experienced a tragic life after he left the military and was later diagnosed with PTSD, a major depressive disorder and a panic disorder.
Court heard Clifford and his daughter were smoking marijuana on Nov. 30, 2014, when he pushed her off a chair, placed his hands around her throat and tried to choke her to death.
When he thought she was dead, he called 9-1-1 and told police he was sure he had killed the teen.
The judge said the girl has since fully recovered from the attack.
