A mature student who left his wife scarred during a series of beatings begged to be kept out of prison so he would not be thrown off his Aberdeen university course.
Jason Glover admitted attacking his former partner on numerous occasions, including during a weekend break at a hotel in Edinburgh.
Glover, who also works as a chef, told Dundee Sheriff Court being jailed would lead to failure to graduate from Robert Gordon University.
During one attack, his wife was so scared of what the burly Beefeater chef would do she tried to flee from their Dundee home while she was naked.
Glover, 41, from Aberdeen, grabbed her and pushed her so hard against the porch door a glass panel smashed.
The shards cut her back so badly she was left scarred.
Freedom plea
Solicitor Jim Laverty, defending, said his client is “more than aware the court could send him to prison for this” but gave evidence Glover is studying at RGU and is due to complete an Honours degree in 2023.
Mr Laverty said: “The department are bound by the university’s academic regulations and courses have to be completed within the normal period of maximum enrolment.
“His concerns were that a custodial sentence would result in him not finishing the course in that timeframe and that he would not be re-admitted.”
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael placed Glover under supervision for two years and ordered him to carry out 175 hours unpaid work.
He also ordered him to attend a domestic offenders rehabilitation programme and banned him from having contact with his victim for two years.
The sheriff said: “You pled guilty to a series of domestically aggravated crimes here.
“It is nasty conduct and unacceptable and well within the custodial zone.”
Train conductor noticed injuries
Glover admitted attacking his wife in the Premier Inn in East Market Street, Edinburgh in November 2018, by straddling her and repeatedly punching her head to her injury.
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan said she simply lay still during the attack in the hope her husband would stop beating her.
Glover eventually rolled over and went to sleep and she fled the hotel during the night to catch a train.
The court was told the concerned train conductor asked how she had come about her bruised and swollen face.
Glover admitted that between July 2 2019 and August 8 2020 in Dundee he subjected his wife to a course of violent bullying behaviour, which left her with numerous injuries.
On July 2 2019 he climbed on top of her and punched her on the face.
Less than two weeks later he threw her on the floor, straddled her and put his hands around her throat.
Gaming fury
The court was told the second July incident was sparked by Glover losing his temper and flying into a violent rage when she removed his headset while he was gaming.
Mr Duncan said: “She removed his headset and it made him angry.
“He threw her on the floor and got on top of her.
“He seized her by the neck.
“He eventually got off and went to bed as if nothing had happened.
“She had broken her big toe.”
On January 11 2020 the couple had another row.
“During the argument she became so scared she tried to leave the property with no clothes on as she was in a rush to escape,” Mr Duncan said.
“He pushed her against a glass panel in the porch, causing it to smash.
“The glass cut her back. She has been left with a scar.”
The court was told the woman had informed the Crown she wanted the accused to be made subject to a non-harassment order “for as long as possible.”