A man punched his partner in the stomach and ruptured her spleen after she discovered a notification for a porn website on his phone, a court has heard.
Darren Murray, 27, initially refused to reply when questioned by his partner, who noticed a notification from a pornographic website on his phone.
And when she later tried to get his attention by pushing his leg, he jumped up and punched her in the stomach, leaving her doubled over and struggling to breathe.
It later emerged she had suffered a ruptured spleen.
Murray, whose address was given in court papers as Leask Avenue, Peterhead, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and impairment.
Sheriff Graeme Napier told Murray: “You understand how serious the injuries are you caused to this lady. A custodial sentence would be justified, but I’ll look at other options.”
He deferred sentence until next month for a social work report and restriction of liberty order assessment.
Murray was bailed in the meantime.
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Depute fiscal Katy Begg told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the pair had been in an on-off relationship for some eight years at the time of the offence.
The assault happened at around 10am on August 23 at an address in Peterhead.
Ms Begg said: “The complainer was getting her children ready for the day while the accused was asleep.
“He had just finished a night shift.
“The complainer could not find her phone so she picked up the accused’s phone intending to use it to find her own.
“She saw a notification for a pornographic website appear on the accused’s phone.
“She asked the accused about it but he did not reply.
“A short time later she returned to the bedroom and asked the accused to get up and help her.
“He did not reply so she pushed his leg in an effort to get a response.
“The accused jumped out of bed and punched her to the stomach, causing her to fall to the ground in severe pain unable to catch her breath.”
Ms Begg said the woman was left with a ruptured spleen following the attack.
Defence agent Laura Gracie, who appeared representing Murray, asked for sentence to be deferred while reports are prepared.
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