A man threatened his new partner with violence on their first date and then encouraged her to commit suicide when she tried to end the relationship.
Ian Barney appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted carrying out a catalogue of verbal abuse and physical threats against his former partner at addresses in Aberdeen.
The 37-year-old carried out the abuse for nearly a month and made 80 calls to the woman in one day.
The court heard that Barney also called her a “prostitute”, a “scumbag” and insinuated that she was a bad mother.
Barney was already subject to a non-harassment order involving another woman that was put in place just months before this incident.
His solicitor blamed his client’s alcoholism, which he claimed was “blighting” Barney’s life.
Woman called police at end of first date
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told the court that on the couple’s first date on September 18 last year Barney quickly became jealous and accused the woman of kissing his friend.
“At this point, the accused was shouting and swearing at the complainer whilst threatening to ‘smack’ both her and his friend,” Ms Martin said.
Back at the woman’s home, Barney then called her a number of derogatory names, including a “prostitute” and a “scumbag”, which forced the woman to call the police and remove him from her home.
Barney then reappeared at the woman’s home the following day where she was awoken by the sound of him repeatedly kicking her front door.
Ms Martin said: “The complainer noted on her phone that she had 80 missed calls from the accused.
“He had messaged her telling her to answer the door and that he knew she was inside.”
Barney left but then returned a few hours later and repeatedly banged on the woman’s door.
Abusive messages
Ms Martin told the court that around a week later, Barney admitted to the woman that he’d been sleeping with someone else during the start of their relationship.
When the woman asked him to leave he refused and then got angry when she refused to sleep in the same bed.
Barney again flew off the handle when the woman chose to spend time with her family instead of him on October 6.
She woke up the following day to multiple messages and a number of missed calls.
“The messages contained several derogatory remarks made towards the complainer, such as calling her ‘evil’, claiming she did not care about her children and that she should go kill herself.”
Over the next few days, Barney repeatedly turned up at the woman’s home, called her a “whore” and made dozens of calls and left numerous messages.
The woman finally ended the relationship on October 17 last year and blocked Barney’s number.
He pleaded guilty to one charge of engaging in a course of behaviour that was abusive to his former partner by acting aggressively, making threats of violence and uttering derogatory remarks.
Accused’s previous record for domestic abuse ‘concerning’
Barney’s defence agent Charlie Benzies told the court that his client’s problems with anger and jealousy stemmed from his alcoholism.
“He knew that he needed to stop drinking and actually he has stopped – he knows it blighted his life.
“He now wants to sort himself out and has recently gained employment.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller described Barney’s previous record for domestic abuse as “concerning” given that a non-harassment was put in place in November 2020 in relation to another woman.
“Months later you are offending again,” he said.
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Miller sentenced Barney to a community payback order with 18 months of supervision and 200 hours of unpaid work.
Sheriff Miller also placed Barney, of Stewart Terrace, Aberdeen, on a non-harassment order, meaning he cannot approach his victim for three years.
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