A dad who brutally attacked his girlfriend and threatened to kill her before demanding she tell police she had been mugged has been jailed.
Andrew McCarry was originally charged with attempting to murder Ashleigh Mankin in Inverurie on November 17, 2019.
Last month he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assaulting her to the danger of life by punching, kicking and choking her.
The 23-year-0ld threatened to kill her – and then ordered her to tell police she had been mugged on her way home from a night out.
But when officers arrived at the property in Middlemuir Road, Miss Mankin managed to whisper “it was him”.
It was him, but don’t let him hear me say that, he told me to tell the police that I had been mugged.”
Advocate depute Sheena Fraser read the victim’s plea for help to the court.
At the High Court in Glasgow today, judge Lord Arthurson told McCarry it had been a “sustained” and “manipulative” attack.
Jailing him for five years, the judge said: “You repeatedly punched and kicked your victim and one of your shoes had her blood on it. This was abusive behaviour.
“This was sustained violent conduct by you towards your victim and then manipulative coercive conduct.”
‘Sustained’ assault happened after night out in Inverurie
Solicitor advocate Iain Paterson, defending, said McCarry “hates himself” for the attack, which happened after the couple had been out drinking in Inverurie together.
Advocate depute Sheena Fraser, prosecuting, said: “On entering the house, the accused became angry and aggressive towards the complainer. He pushed her on a bed and repeatedly punched her on the head and face.”
McCarry then grabbed Miss Mankin by the throat and pressed his thumbs into her windpipe, restricting her breathing.
Ms Fraser said McCarry then kicked his partner on the head while shouting: “I’ll kill you. I’ll shut you up.”
She added: “The accused called 999 and said she had been mugged. He also instructed her to tell paramedics and police that she had been mugged.”
Victim’s blood found on McCarry’s shoe
When officers arrived, Miss Mankin managed to whisper: “It was him, but don’t let him hear me say that, he told me to tell the police that I had been mugged.”
One of McCarry’s shoes was examined forensically and his victim’s blood was found on it.
Mr Paterson said his client – who has previous convictions for violence – regretted his behaviour.
“He expresses remorse, shame and guilty for his behaviour and hates himself for it,” he said.