A man punched his partner in the face because she kicked his dog, a court has heard.
Jason Harrison, 51, appeared for sentencing at Inverness Sheriff Court having been previously convicted of committing the assault at an address in Forres on January 31 2022.
The charges detailed how he repeatedly punched the woman on the head to her injury.
He also had a knife in his possession when traced by police after leaving the property with the dog.
At the sentencing hearing before Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald, Harrison’s solicitor Shahid Latif told the court that his client had been reacting to his partner’s poor treatment of his pet.
Dog kick ‘catalyst’ for domestic assault
He said: “The catalyst was the complainer kicking the accused’s dog.
“The dog was 12-years-old and had been his constant companion. He had had the dog since it was a puppy.”
Mr Latif said Harrison had experienced adversity in childhood and traumatic events in his adult life, including two brain injuries.
He said: “There were two constants in his life – his pet dog and the use of intoxicants, particularly alcohol.”
Mr Latif highlighted that a pre-sentencing report had deemed his client to have been assessed as low-risk.
He said: “He has been in the relationship for a number of years. It was the conduct of kicking the dog that led to this. He accepts that this was unacceptable.”
The defence agent told Sheriff MacDonald: “There was no planning and no intention – it was an error of judgement on his part, a spontaneous reaction.
“He is deeply remorseful about his behaviour.”
‘A nasty, violent assault’
Sheriff MacDonald told Harrison: “This was a nasty violent assault on your partner, someone I understand you care for and someone who cares for you.
“She may have kicked your dog, but you punched her in the face.
“You have been in jail before for violent offences, you have got form for committing violence against partners.
“I think you need to work on the problems that you have.”
The sheriff acknowledged a letter of support for the accused submitted by his partner and said: “The letter from your partner has helped you, she is supportive of you, she didn’t need to be supportive of you but she is, despite what you did to her.”
She placed Harrison, of Hepworth Lane, Forres, on a community payback order with two years of social work supervision and 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.