A serial domestic abuser who forced his girlfriend to dig a grave for their miscarried baby with her bare hands has been jailed.
Kevin Anderson was branded “a serious risk to any woman” after a court heard of his campaigns of violent and controlling abuse towards two girlfriends over the course of five years.
He pushed his pregnant partner down a flight of stairs, causing her to miscarry, and stabbed another woman in the leg with a pair of scissors, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Police today welcomed the jail sentence and praised his two victims for having the courage to come forward.
Anderson, 26, also abducted one of his victims by locking her in his second-floor flat without food for long periods of time.
Fiscal depute Bryan Young said Anderson pushed his pregnant partner down the stairs at their Aberdeen home.
The assault caused the woman to bleed but despite that, he wouldn’t allow her to go to the hospital as he feared she’d tell medical staff.
She was later taken there and a miscarriage was confirmed.
On the morning that his partner was due to return to the hospital for a post-miscarriage procedure, he tipped the contents of an ashtray over her head, spat on her and left her so distressed she cancelled the appointment.
The horrific abuse continued when she returned to hospital the following day and he told her: “You do know if you take that tablet you are killing our baby.”
The couple’s foetus was given to them by nurses in a small white box and upon leaving hospital Anderson grabbed it and ran off while his victim was too exhausted to give chase.
That night he told her: “No wonder you cannot carry a baby because you are too thin.”
When she replied that if he hasn’t pushed her on the stairs they wouldn’t have lost the baby he pinned her to the bed, then kicked and head-butted her.
Regularly abused woman
The court was told this sort of violence, along with her being pushed, spat on and grabbed by the throat, happened on multiple occasions.
Anderson’s psychological and physical abuse continued on the day they went to bury their miscarried foetus.
Mr Young said: “In early November 2016, the pair arranged to bury the embryo remains near to the public footpath next to the Trinity Cemetery in Aberdeen.
“The accused forgot to take a shovel and an argument ensued. During this time, the accused slapped the complainer to the face and pushed her to the ground, telling her she got what she deserved.
“He stood over her while she was distraught, and forced her to dig a hole in the earth with her bare hands. She managed to make a small enough hole and placed the white box in the ground.”
‘She had no way of escape’
The fiscal also told of occasions where Anderson flung plates of food on the floor while berating the woman’s cooking.
He also pulled her hair, punched her and left her “curled up on the floor” in fear and pain.
When she ended their relationship he repeatedly threatened to commit suicide so that she would meet him.
During a brief reconciliation between January and May 2017, he would lock her in his second-floor flat without food or a phone charger.
“He would leave the property and leave her inside and take the only key,” the fiscal added. “He told her that he wanted to keep her safe. She had no way of escape.”
After this relationship ended for good Anderson’s abusive ways continued with his new girlfriend.
Stabbed next girlfriend with scissors
This woman was subjected to physical and verbal abuse between June 2019 and April 2021, which culminated in a terrifying stabbing attack.
In April last year, he repeatedly punched her to the head before grabbing scissors from the kitchen drawer and stabbing her twice.
The fiscal said a neighbour saw the woman “terrified with blood coming from her side and dripping on the floor”.
Anderson, meanwhile, ran to a neighbour.
“I’ve just stabbed her,” he told the neighbour. “I don’t know what to do. I’m going to jail, I’m going to jail, I’m going to jail.”
Imprint of ring left on her forehead
The woman suffered two puncture wounds to her thigh and a small puncture wound to her left temple, all of which were treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Her forehead, meanwhile, had the imprint of a ring Anderson was wearing when he punched her.
Anderson, formerly of Park Road, Aberdeen, admitted four charges of domestic abuse, threatening and abusive behaviour, assault to injury, and abduction with assault to severe injury.
Defence agent Andrew Ormiston told the court any mitigation he would give was not meant to suggest the behaviour was “in any way deserved”.
He suggested his client was missing certain “coping mechanisms” to deal with stress in relationships and that he had grown up in and around similar violent behaviour.
“The underlying issue is that Mr Anderson grew up in an environment where regrettably this kind of conduct was experienced and witnessed by him,” the solicitor said.
No alternative to jail for appalling behaviour
Anderson appeared in court via video link from HMP Grampian, where he has been remanded since August 2021.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan said: “He can only be regarded as someone who in the future will pose a risk of serious harm to any woman with whom he forms a relationship.”
He told him: “Your behaviour towards these women over a protracted period of time was absolutely appalling.
“That included in the case of each victim a serious assault resulting in one in danger of life and another causing severe injury.
“It’s plain that the only appropriate disposal, in this case, is a significant and inevitable period of imprisonment.”
Sheriff Buchanan jailed Anderson for three years and nine months, backdated to when he was first remanded.
He also made indefinite non-harassment orders in respect of both his victims stating Anderson posed a “significant risk of causing severe harm to members of the public”.
Police praise sentence
Detective Inspector Gordon Patullo, of the Domestic Abuse Task Force, said: “Kevin Anderson has received a significant prison sentence, as a result of his repeated violent and controlling behaviour over a five-year period.
“I would like to praise the victims for their bravery and having the courage to come forward to speak with police.
“In addition to his imprisonment, Anderson has been granted a lifelong Non-Harassment Order, which will provide the victims with even further protection on his release.
“This conviction and sentence send out a clear message that domestic abuse crimes will not be tolerated and Police Scotland will continue to target those offenders who believe they can inflict pain and suffering without consequences.
“I would like to take this opportunity to reach out to anyone who is experiencing or has experienced domestic abuse. It is never too late to report it to the police or seek support and advice from one of our partner agencies.”
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