A domestic abuser and new dad subjected his girlfriend to almost a year of physical violence and aggression.
Liam Thomson also smashed holes in the walls of their home, broke household items and verbally abused his partner, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke said it escalated to the point that Thomson, 20, even punched his girlfriend in the face when she was holding their baby.
“Around June 2021 she noticed a change in his behaviour,” Ms Poke said.
“He was becoming more agitated and aggressive. He started damaging things in the home, breaking an oven, damaging furniture, smashing cabinets and snapping doors.
“He then became aggressive towards the complainer shouting and swearing at her and calling her a ‘stupid c***’. This led to her leaving the home as she was afraid his behaviour would escalate.”
Pushed partners down the stairs
The court also heard that in September 2021 Thomson’s damage of their Fochabers home was noticed during an inspection and when asked why there were holes in the walls the complainer admitted they were caused by Thomson “when he became angry”.
“More recently, the complainer was at the door of the property and holding her child when, without warning, the accused approached her and punched her,” the fiscal added.
“In April 2022 she went upstairs to tell him to get up for work and he grabbed her by the top, punched her to her right eye and pushed her down the stairs. He went on to punch her numerous times in the head.
“And on various occasions, she would ask him for money to buy nappies and other items for their child. He would refuse and tell her she had to get the items herself.”
Thomson pled guilty to a charge of domestic abuse and admitted the behaviour spanned between June 2021 and April 2022.
No explanation for behaviour
Defence agent Grant Dalglish said his client was “at a loss to explain exactly why he was acting in the way he did” and suggested there had been some disruption within the young family unit caused by other family members.
“He recognises his behaviour was not acceptable and accepts full responsibility. There has been no further offending from him,” the solicitor said.
The court also heard how Thomson had suffered trauma in his past and that if he gets help for his troubles his ex-partner might be willing to rekindle the relationship.
Sheriff Robert McDonald said Thomson’s case was “close to the bone for being an indictment matter” such was the seriousness of his abuse.
‘Get on top of your anger management problems’
“I hope you will take the opportunity I am giving you by making a community payback order to get on top of your anger management problems,” he told Thomson.
“Any relationship you have with this lady in the future will depend on that.”
He handed Thomson, of Mill Place, Mosstodloch, Fochabers, 135 hours of unpaid work, an 18-month supervision order and a requirement to carry out the Moray Choose to Change programme.
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