Supervision for violent domestic abuser who scarred partner with boiling water

A violent domestic abuser who disfigured his partner with boiling water and pushed dog poo through a letterbox has been handed a supervision order.

John Strathdee was convicted, following a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, of engaging in a course of conduct that was abusive of the woman between July 18 and December 31 last year.

The 56-year-old denied the charge, but a remote jury took around three hours to find him guilty by majority verdict earlier this month.

Strathdee’s abusive conduct took place at addresses in Aberdeen, Huntly and Aviemore.

The charge against Strathdee stated he:

• Grabbed and squeezed the woman’s neck to her injury.
• Threw boiling water on her to her injury and permanent disfigurement.
• Shouted and swore.
• Threw the contents of a cup at her.
• Grabbed her mobile phone and struggled violently with her.
• Removed her mobile phone and landline phones from the property.
• Damaged her mobile and telephone line.
• Put dog excrement through a letterbox.
• Removed dust caps from her vehicle.
• Repeatedly made derogatory remarks towards her.

Strathdee previously admitted another charge of failing to comply with a bail condition not to approach or contact the woman.

Following the jury’s verdict, sentence was deferred for reports, but Strathdee has now been sentenced in his absence after there were problems with a video link at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Christine McCrossan ordered him to be supervised for two years, and imposed a three-year non-harassment order.

Accused was remanded since January

She also ordered him to complete the Caledonian programme.

At the previous hearing, fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar disclosed to the court Strathdee, described in court papers as a prisoner of HMP Grampian, also has an analogous previous conviction.

Defence agent David Sutherland said his client had been remanded in custody since January 7 and had served the equivalent of a 14-month sentence.