A husband “deliberately ignored” a court order not to approach his estranged wife on the same day that a sheriff told him to stay away from her, a court was told.
George Innes, 59, appeared at Wick Sheriff Court, admitted breaching the bail condition and was jailed for more than five months.
Innes claimed that he had just walked the woman home but Sheriff Ian Miller described his excuse as showing a “blatant” disregard for court orders.
The court heard that police officers could hear the couple chatting as they approached the home of the accused’s wife, in Wick, on June 23 this year.
They then found the couple together in the back garden.
‘Simply walked Mrs Innes home’
Fiscal David Barclay said that the pair were clearly willing parties to being together and added: “The accused commented to officers that he had simply walked Mrs Innes home”.
Defence solicitor Josey Donnachie told the court that Innes regretted his actions and was remorseful.
However, Sheriff Miller said he was at a loss to know how Innes’ remorse could be “squared” with his behaviour.
The sheriff referred to a background report, which contained a different story.
He said that Innes, of Macarthur Street, Wick, had told a social worker that he accepted full responsibility for the breach.
Sheriff Miller continued: “That is his position. He just deliberately ignored the condition.
“What we have here is a blatant and deliberate affront for a court order on the same day it was imposed.”
‘No shying away’ from breaches
Miss Donnachie said there was “no shying away” from Innes’s extensive record of offending, which the court heard contained an identical bail breach.
She added that she understood the couple wished to continue their relationship.
However, Innes was jailed for 160 days and given a year-long non-harassment order, banning him from approaching or contacting his wife.
Innes’s jail term was backdated to June 24, when he was remanded.
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