A man has been told he was lucky not to be on a murder charge after throwing a bottle at his partner causing a skull fracture and blood clot on her brain.
Connor Scobbie flung the bottle at the woman during an argument, causing her to fall over and strike her head on the stairs.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that a specialist who treated Scobbie’s victim said she was “fortunate to be still alive”.
Sheriff Sara Matheson jailed Scobbie for 22 months, telling the 25-year-old from Easter Ross: “This is a most serious matter. You are fortunate this is not a charge of murder you are facing.”
Scobbie admitted culpably and recklessly throwing the bottle, which caused the woman to fall and strike her head to severe injury, permanent impairment and danger of life.
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood told the court that the incident happened on December 7 2021 after the pair returned to his home in Clyde Street, Invergordon, following a night out with friends.
‘You don’t know how bad I feel’
“She was going to stay at a friend’s house and they argued in the bedroom as she collected some of her belongings,” said Ms Eastwood.
“He threw a bottle at her which struck her, causing her to fall and hit her head on the stairs.
“A neighbour came to help. She was unresponsive and bleeding from a head wound.”
Ms Eastwood said as the woman was being treated in the hospital, Scobbie repeatedly apologised, saying he was sorry and he should not have done it.
“You don’t know how bad I feel,” Scobbie told the woman.
The young woman suffered vision problems as a result of the clot causing pressure on her brain, the court heard.
Defence solicitor Graham Mann conceded the outcome of the bottle throwing was “a very serious one and little can be said in mitigation”.
But he told the sheriff that the woman had first thrown the bottle along the corridor as she was going out the door.
“He threw it back out towards her but it struck her on the head. She must have tripped and spun as she fell, explaining why her legs were still in the house.
“He apologised to her, was frantic and clearly distressed on the 999 call.”