A jealous man tried to strangle his terrified partner, screaming that he was going to kill her as she gasped for breath.
The petrified woman had earlier dialled 999 while hiding in the kitchen.
Twenty-year-old Christopher Robertson was due to stand trial by jury, but pled guilty to an amended charge. The first offender admitted assaulting his partner at the flat they shared in North Street, Peebles, on May 19 last year, straddling her body while she was on the ground, restricting her breathing by placing his hand around her neck and threatening to kill her.
Robertson was said to have been jealous of the woman’s behaviour with a friend who had been drinking with them earlier, although the relationship between the couple – who have a young baby – was described as “quite fractious”.
At a previous hearing, prosecutor Tessa Bradley told how Robertson and his girlfriend, who was 17 years old at the time – shared the flat with their then nine-month-old baby.
“In the run-up to this incident, the relationship had deteriorated, as neither was working and both were at home most of the day with a young baby,” she explained.
On May 18 a friend visited the flat and all three were socialising – “They had all consumed alcohol, though not to excess,” continued Ms Bradley.
The man who was visiting left the flat at about 1.30am the following day.
“Shortly after he left the accused became jealous of the way she had been behaving with this man, calling her a whore,” said Ms Bradley.
Robertson picked up the baby, who started crying, and his girlfriend pleaded with him to put the child down and she took him back to his cot.
The woman tried to avoid the accused as his mood was deteriorating.
Added Ms Bradley: “She hid in the kitchen and dialled 999. She ended up on the floor and he straddled her with his knees and grabbed her tightly by the throat and squeezed, causing her to gasp for breath.
“She estimated this strangulation lasted for about 30 seconds, during which time he was screaming, ‘I’m going to kill you’. In the course of this he slapped her to the head and she managed to push her fingers into his eyes and push him away. She escaped, and took refuge in the bathroom,” said the prosecutor.
Police officers found the victim with bloodshot eyes and there was bruising to her neck.
Robertson told police there had been a verbal argument and they had been pushing each other.
Robert More, defending, said his client had been on bail since last May, with conditions not to contact the complainer or enter North Street in Peebles – and had abided by these.
“Quite sadly, we have two young people with a young child, who have struggled to cope, and the relationship had become quite fractious,” added the lawyer, reserving his plea in mitigation until reports had been prepared.
Hearing a previously-ordered criminal justice report was not available, Sheriff Derrick McIntyre deferred sentence further until June 6 for it to be prepared.
Fined for
knife crime
A 25-year-old man who had a knife in Newtown St Boswells was fined £200.
James Armstrong, of Glenburn Avenue, Newtown St Boswells, denied having a knife at Melbourne Place on March 15 last year, but was found guilty after trial.
Imposing sentence, Sheriff Derrick McIntyre said he took account of the fact Armstrong had been of good behaviour during a period of deferred sentence, and also the nature of the crime.
Woman admonished
A Hawick woman who punched a former partner was admonished after the court heard she had been of good behaviour during a period of deferred sentence.
Ashleigh Patterson, 24, of Burnhead Road, admitted assaulting a previous partner at Green Terrace, Hawick, on October 1 last year. She also pleaded guilty to breaching an undertaking not to contact him by sending him text messages.
Must appear
in person
A van thief had sentence deferred until May 16 to appear personally.
Martin Charlotte, 32, of Borthaugh Road, Hawick, admitted stealing a van at the town’s Ruberslaw Road on April 5, and driving it without a licence and insurance on various roads in Hawick. Charlotte – who was on an ASBO (antisocial behaviour order) at the time – also admitted driving the vehicle with a breath/alcohol reading of 41 mcgs – the legal limit being 35.
Remanded
in custody
A thief was remanded in custody for reports until May 16.
Christopher Haddock, 33, of Elm Court, Hawick, pleaded guilty to stealing alcohol, tools, a bicycle and sleeping bag at Lockhart Place in the town on March 17.
Hearing a previously-ordered criminal justice report was not available, Sheriff Derrick McIntyre remanded Haddock in custody for the report to be prepared.
Medical
report
A 20-year-old who made persistent calls to the emergency services had sentence deferred until May 30 for a medical report.
Andrew Birney, of Sunnyhill Road, Hawick, admitted making the calls from his home on October 19 last year.
Damaged Hawick flat
A woman who caused some £1,600 damage to a Hawick flat had sentence deferred until May 30 to appear personally.
Danielle Mooney, 26, of Maxmill Park, Kelso, admitted recklessly damaging walls, household items and furniture at a house in Lothian Street, Hawick, between October 1 and 31 last year.
Victim’s £2,000 dental bill
A drunken man punched a stranger outside a nightclub, knocking out two of his teeth.
Darren Todd, 34, of Havelock Street, Hawick, pleaded guilty to assaulting a man to his injury at the town’s Baker Street on January 26.
Claire Bottomley, prosecuting, said the offence happened during the early hours of the morning outside Base nightclub.
The prosecutor went on: “He was a complete stranger and had to have his teeth capped, with £2,000 worth of dental treatment required. He has had to apply for a loan to meet the costs.”
Todd’s solicitor said there had been “some interaction” between the two men, adding: “I am not suggesting that is an excuse for his action or that he was justified in what he did, just that he had some perception of a difficulty, so it was not completely random.”
Sentence was deferred until June 6 for reports.
Injured partner
A drunken man bit his partner during a struggle.
Allan Hutchinson, 51, of Fairhurst Drive, Hawick, admitted assaulting the woman to her injury at a house in Dickson Street, Hawick, on December 30 last year.
At a previous hearing, procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the couple had been in a relationship at the time and described both as “alcohol dependent”.
Mr Fraser said the woman felt the relationship was “moving too fast” and there was an argument between them.
The fiscal added: “He poured himself a half-pint of vodka and drank it in one go before resorting to violence towards her. There was a struggle and he bit her, leaving her with injuries.”
The victim sustained tenderness to her body, a scratch to her forehead and cheek, and a tender jaw.
Defence solicitor Rory Bannerman said both parties had alcohol issues, adding: “They have been dating for a few months and want to stay in the relationship.”
Last Friday, solicitor Ed Hulme said: “There is no pattern to his behaviour and he had mended his drinking habits. They are still together, and plan to marry in August.”
Hutchinson had sentence deferred for three months, until July 25, to be of good behaviour.
Hawick man faces trial
A man who denies uttering threats of sexual violence towards two females will stand trial on September 4, with an intermediate hearing on August 8.
Remo Nardini, 55, of Ramsay Road, Hawick, pleaded not guilty behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Ramsay Road on January 19.But he admitted recklessly damaging property by kicking a cat flap at Ramsay Road on January 23, and sentence was deferred until August 8.
Struggling shoplifter
A thief who stole a packet of sweetener tablets worth £1.36 from a Galashiels store had sentence deferred for six months – until November 10 – for good behaviour.
Stephen Wallace, 35, of Galabank Street, Galashiels was spotted on the Asda CCTV acting suspiciously on November 18. When confronted by a security guard, he became abusive and there was a struggle.
“The two of them ended up struggling on the ground and a bystander assisted the security guard,” said depute procurator fiscal Tessa Bradley.
Wallace admitted theft and disorderly conduct.
Inn attack allegation
An accused who denies assaulting a woman at a pub is due to stand trial on June 3.
Frank Flannigan, 45, of Mansfield Road, Berwick, is alleged to have committed the crime at Tibbie Shiels Inn, St Mary’s Loch, on March 1/2 and behaved in a threatening or abusive manner.
A further intermediate hearing was set for May 12.