A domestic abuser who attacked his partner multiple times and threatened to burn down the house with her in it has been jailed for 20 months.
Garry McClory attacked his partner, also his carer, numerous times over four years and repeatedly failed to keep away when ordered to do so by the court.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told the 52-year-old and his partner were in a “toxic” relationship which was “10 times more trouble than it was worth”.
Long catalogue of abuse
Fiscal depute Lydia Ross said the pair had been in a relationship for 13 years and went on to narrate numerous instances dating between November 14 2019 and March 9 this year where he had mistreated her and broken court orders by contacting her.
On one occasion, in February this year, he struck his partner multiple times to the head with a closed fist before his victim was heard by a friend “screaming for help and shouting ‘get off of me’ repeatedly” at an address in Tedder Road, Aberdeen.
That night he repeatedly turned up at the woman’s house uninvited, calling her a “b****, w**** and s***”, and evaded police searches until he was caught on the third early-morning visit.
After that he made vile comments to police, telling one officer he was a “specky four-eyed f*****” and accusing him of raping people, then telling other officers at Kittybrewster police station that “all police should be should be raped before joining the job”.
‘I’m going to burn this house down’
On an earlier occasion, on November 14 2019, he appeared “irate and agitated” at his partner’s friend’s home and said he would “slit their throats” if he wasn’t allowed inside.
He also threatened: “I am going to get petrol and burn your house down with you lot in it.”
In June 2020 he followed her from a hotel calling her a “s*** and a w**** repeatedly” then, when spending the night in cells, told one officer “if me or my girlfriend sees you on the street you are f***** dead you f***** k***head”.
Plea for help
He admitted five charges of threatening or abusive behaviour, one charge of assault and four breaches of his bail condition to keep away from the woman.
He also admitted breaching his community payback orders.
Defence agent Lisa Riley her client was on “self-prescribed valium” at the time of his offending towards police officers and admitted that the relationship between McClory and the complainer was “toxic” with both of them leading “very chaotic lifestyles”.
“He is absolutely ashamed of his behaviour, particularly towards officers,” she said.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan however, said he’d had “numerous opportunities to take advantage of the help offered” but had failed at every turn.
Relationship ‘really has to stop’
He told McClory: “This relationship is 10 times more trouble than it is worth.
“This is not just a matter between the two of them as it causes a vast amount of trouble for the police, the courts and the social work department.
“This abuse has been going on for nearly five years and leads to nothing but trouble for those involved. It really has to stop.
“It would also be completely impossible for me to take a view that a non-harassment order is unnecessary in fact, it is essential one is imposed for a considerable length of time.”
Jailing McClory, of Whitehall Place, Aberdeen, for 20 months, the sheriff added: “I think what he needs is a substantial period of imprisonment where he won’t be able to get his hands on drink or drugs, hopefully.”
McClory was handed a non-harassment order banning him from contacting his victim, who attended court and blew kisses at him as he was cuffed and led away, for five years.
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