A man assaulted his girlfriend and stole her car after she refused to pay for his supermarket shopping, a court has heard.
Stephen Potter also targeted a member of staff who tried to intervene outside the Inverness Asda store.
When police caught up with him in the woman’s car he was found to be over the legal drink-drive limit.
Potter, 41, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit charges of assault, taking the woman’s car without consent and drink-driving, all relating to incidents on June 29 of this year.
Fiscal depute Adelle Gray told the court it was around 8.10pm when Potter and his partner pulled up outside the Asda store on Ivanhoe Avenue, Inverness.
Woman refused to buy boyfriend’s shopping
“The accused had requested the witness to come into the locus so she could buy him some items,” Ms Gray said, adding: “She has refused as she had no money.”
The fiscal depute said Potter then became “irate” and began to argue with the woman.
The pair got out of the car and Potter threw a glass bottle, which hit a member of staff from the store on the leg.
When that worker attempted to contact a supervisor Potter punched him in the face, before turning his attention back to his partner.
He grabbed her head, pulled her hair and swung at her, before forcing his fingers into her mouth.
Potter then took the woman’s car keys from her pocket, despite her attempts to resist.
Witness rammed car thief with trolley
A witness tried to slow him down by ramming him with a trolley, but Potter got in the car and drove off.
Police traced the car to Old Edinburgh Road, where Potter was stopped around 8.55pm and arrested. During his arrest he also spat at a police officer.
He was taken to Raigmore Hospital and then to Burnett Road Police station where, hours after the initial incident, his breath alcohol level was found to be 60 microgrammes per 100 millilitres – the limit being 22 microgrammes.
Solicitor Marc Dickson showed Sheriff David Harvie mobile phone footage of the short-lived incident between Potter and his partner.
He said his client was “someone whose entire life has been absolutely blighted by alcohol and drug addiction”.
He also told Sheriff Harvie that Potter had since sought assistance from the drug and alcohol recovery team at HMP Inverness.
Sheriff Harvie deferred sentencing on Potter, of Kessock Road, for the production of reports, noting that despite a “significant record” his latest crimes appeared to represent an “escalation”.
The case will call again next month.
