A north-east woman who assaulted her husband and left him permanently disfigured following the discovery their dogs had died of heat exhaustion has sentence deferred.
Elizabeth Clark repeatedly kicked her partner Calum on the head and face in a sustained attack on June 2 this year that only ended when a relative intervened.
Peterhead Sheriff Court heard the 52-year-old had advised Mr Clark not to take the dogs out because she was concerned for their health as temperatures soared.
However, after the couple spent an afternoon drinking together at a barbecue, she learnt the three collies on the farm where she works as an estate manager had died.
Clark, of Home Farm, Rattray, knocked over a candle holder in the kitchen and as her husband bent to pick up the broken pieces of glass she began to kick him in the head.
Though he tried to protect himself, she kicked him in the face before a relative could intervene.
Police and ambulance were subsequently called to the property.
Mr Clark suffered cuts to his face which left scarring near his eye and damage to his tear duct.
Defence agent John Adam said: “This is an unusual set of circumstances and it led to an incident that is out of character.”
Sheriff Christine McCrossan told Clark: “This is a very upsetting case. I accept it was totally out of character. I don’t have any concerns that you will appear in this court building again.”
She deferred sentence four months for her to be of good behaviour.