A 59-year-old Inverness man set fire to his partner’s clothes after he discovered she was cheating on him, Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday.
Robert Taylor of 19 King Duncan’s Gardens, pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless conduct and also admitted assaulting Louisa Chisholm by slapping her on the face on May 20 this year.
Taylor had been remanded in custody pending trial but changed his plea to a reduced assault charge. He had originally been charged with pouring lighter fuel over her.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Ross said that Taylor had been out drinking and returned home with friends. His partner returned home and there was an argument which resulted in him striking her and then setting her clothes on fire.
She added: “He began to shout and swear at her and then struck her on the face. He calmed down but later became agitated, went into the house, returned with some of her clothes and set them on fire in the garden. Police were called.”
Defence agent John MacColl said: “He had been in a relationship with her for nine months, but he found out that she had been cheating on him.
“He set fire to her clothes to teach her a lesson.”
Sheriff Noel McPartlin ordered Taylor to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to a fine.