A controlling and violent serial domestic abuser has been given a court order to stay away from four ex-partners.
Lee Derrett was found guilty after a trial of seven charges spanning four different women.
The 25-year-old had denied the charges against him but was found unanimously guilty by a jury.
In relation to the first woman, Derrett was found guilty of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on various occasions between April 1 2016 and September 30 2017.
He shouted, acted in an aggressive manner, made derogatory remarks about her, accused her of infidelity, took possession of her mobile phone and monitored her contact with other people.
He also repeatedly struck a door and threatened to harm himself.
Abuser held knife to woman’s throat repeatedly
Derrett was also convicted of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards a second woman on occasions between July 1 2017 and March 31 2019.
Again, Derrett shouted, acted in an aggressive manner, made derogatory remarks about her, took possession of her mobile phone and monitored her contact with other people.
Additionally, he repeatedly threatened to harm himself and threatened to damage her laptop.
In relation to the same woman, Derrett was found guilty of assaulting her on a date between November 1 2017 and February 28 2018.
He grabbed her by her clothing and by her hair, causing her to fall to the floor where she struck her head against a doorframe.
Still in relation to the second partner, Derrett was found guilty under domestic abuse legislation which had been introduced by this point of engaging in a course of behaviour which was abusive of his partner between April 1 2019 and February 29 2020.
‘Unfortunate upbringing’
He repeatedly spat on her, grabbed her by the clothing and body, and prevented her from leaving her home.
He also attempted to grab a mobile phone from her while she was making a call and holding an infant, causing the phone to strike the infant and then pursuing her as she tried to escape.
Derrett was then found guilty of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards and assaulting a third woman between May 1 and August 6 2021.
He prevented her from having contact with friends, family and social workers, shouted at her, repeatedly struck and damaged a door, and forced entry to a room she was trying to take refuge from him in.
Derrett further grabbed a mobile phone while she was trying to make a call and struck her on the neck with a sharp object.
Additionally, he grabbed her and struck her to the body, made derogatory remarks about her, and restricted her breathing by grabbing her and compressing her neck.
He also prevented her from contacting the police, punched her in the head, took her mobile phone and deleted images of injuries he had caused her, damaged her laptop, threatened to set fire to her property, and threatened violence and to self-harm.
Furthermore, Derrett brandished a knife at the woman and repeatedly held a blade to her neck.
Moving on to his fourth victim, Derrett was found guilty of engaging in a course of behaviour towards her which was abusive between August 6 and September 29 2021.
He shouted and sore at her, made derogatory remarks about her, accused her of infidelity, self-harmed in front of her, made violent threats, took her phone and monitored her contact with others, threw a phone at her, grabbed her by the head and prevented her from having contact with her friends and family.
‘It’s hoped that this is you growing up’
Finally, Derrett was found guilty of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards the woman by phoning her and making threats.
The offences all took place at locations across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Defence counsel Graham Robertson said his client is unemployed and had an “unfortunate upbringing”.
He described the relationships with all four women in the charges as being “toxic”.
Mr Robertson explained Derrett had an “inability to manage emotional conflict situations without overreacting”.
He added: “Some form of professional intervention may mitigate the possibility of reoffending in the future.”
Mr Robertson said he was “somewhat surprised” that social workers had deemed Derrett only a “medium risk” of reoffending, and that they had also not identified custody as an appropriate disposal.
Sheriff Ian Wallace replied: “I don’t think that’s unusual.”
Mr Robertson continued: “The professionals seem to be of the view that he’s still a man they feel they can work with and have input into his life to the benefit of not only him but the community at large.”
Sheriff Wallace told Derrett, of Claremont Street, Aberdeen: “It’s hoped that this is you growing up. It’s clear at the time you were simply not taking responsibility for your actions.”
As a direct alternative to prison, he ordered Derrett to be supervised for two years, to complete the Caledonian programme for domestic offenders, and to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
He also imposed a six-month curfew and five-year non-harassment orders in relation to each of the four women.
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