A young mother sobbed as she told a jury how she was beaten at least twice a fortnight by her partner while she was pregnant.
Hollie Cole, 26, was giving evidence in the third day of Rory MacMillan’s trial at Inverness Sheriff Court.
He denies charges of abusing four former partners between August 2004 and June 2013, two of whom were pregnant, stalking one of them, throwing a puppy against a wall and behaving in a threatening manner.
Miss Cole told a jury she rarely went out and never alone after her relationship with MacMillan of Balloan Road, Inverness.
She said: “At the beginning, I was happy. I thought I loved him. But I always went back to him. He said he would change, said he was sorry. I was naive and stupid.
“We would split up and the only reason was violence by him. He was horrible. I could burn a piece of toast, or anything I did or didn’t do, it always ended up physical.
“It would be a couple of times a fortnight, maybe more, while I was pregnant. I was covered in bruises, scratches, handmarks on my throat. But I kept going back to him.
“Why didn’t I leave? I was scared. I thought I would never be free – have to keep running, running.”
Miss Cole told of an instance when she went to her mother Jane’s work at a local pharmacy.
She recalled the incident when she had dressed MacMillan’s daughter in clothes which were too big.
“He took it out on me. All I can remember is fists, bruises, my face was covered, a black eye, marks on my arms where he had been holding me.
“I am sorry I can’t remember the details. I have tried so hard to forget about it all. I have pushed it so far back. I have tried to suppress it.”
The trial continues.