A lout found guilty of a sickening assault on his girlfriend has shown “little, if any, remorse”, his own solicitor has admitted.
Scott Baxter was convicted by a jury of the troubling attack on his former partner following a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
During the assault, Baxter, 28, repeatedly grabbed the woman, threw her to the floor, and repeatedly punched and kicked her on the head and body.
Additionally, he pinned her to the floor, grabbed and compressed her neck, causing her breathing to become restricted, and stamped on her, all to her severe injury and permanent impairment.
Baxter was also found guilty of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner during the incident on April 28 2021 at an address in New Pitsligo.
He had denied the charges, but despite being found guilty of them, defence agent Gail Goodfellow said: “He appears to have difficulty accepting not only responsibility, but he appears to have shown little, if any, remorse.”
Mrs Goodfellow told the court: “Standing the jury verdict, I have little to add to the circumstances other than to say it does appear there was no planning or premeditation here.
“He went to the complainer’s home with good intentions of seeing his child.”
Children ‘were clearly upset by the incident’
The solicitor acknowledged child witnesses to the assault “were clearly upset by the incident and continue to be affected by it”.
She added that Baxter’s relationship with his victim was “particularly volatile”.
Sheriff Ian Wallace ordered Baxter, of Kinmundy Drive, Westhill, to be supervised for two years and complete the Caledonian programme for domestic offenders.
He also imposed 250 hours of unpaid work, a 10-month curfew and a five-year non-harassment order.
The sentence was imposed as a direct alternative to custody.
As he left the dock, Baxter, who had taken a bag with him in preparation for a possible prison sentence, embraced and kissed his new partner, who attended court with him.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.