A man told his partner “I’m going to kill you” before grabbing her by the ears, dragging her off a couch and assaulting her, a court has heard.
Edward Geddes had been asked to leave the woman’s bed and go home because she did not want to spend the night with him, but instead launched the physical attack.
He admitted a charge of domestic assault “under provocation”.
Geddes, 71, appeared before Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing over the incident, which took place on January 3 of this year at the woman’s home in Inverness.
Fiscal depute Sharon Ralph told the court that Geddes had retired to his partner’s bedroom while she enjoyed an alcoholic drink in the living room.
She said: “The witness went through to her bedroom to go to bed – she did not want the accused to stay in her bed.”
But when he was asked to leave, Geddes refused, telling the woman that he did not wish to drive.
‘I’m going to kill you’
He then followed her into the living room and said: “You f***ing whore, I’m going to kill you you little b****.”
Mrs Ralph told the court: “The accused grabbed the witness by both ears and pulled her off the couch, dragging her to the floor.”
The charge detailed that he also punched the woman in the head.
Police were called and Geddes was detained. He made no reply to caution and charge, but it was noted that he did have scratches on his stomach.
Solicitor Graham Mann told the court that alcohol had “played a part” in the incident, which his client had admitted “under provocation”.
He said Geddes had cooperated by giving police a “full interview” and stressed that he had “no precedent for this type of thing within a domestic setting”.
Sheriff Sara Matheson fined Geddes, of Mill Crescent, Buckie, £290.