A man who tried to murder his former partner by hitting her repeatedly with a hammer told police he attacked her because she hadn’t repaid a debt, a court heard.
Derek Hughes, 57, struck the woman repeatedly on her head with a hammer on the evening of May 5 2024 at her home in Dunbeg, near Oban.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard today how the woman had to be rushed to hospital in Oban before being transferred to Glasgow for specialist neurological treatment.
Doctors described the injuries sustained by Hughes’ former partner as “life-threatening”.
She sustained a “traumatic” brain injury and cuts to her head. Medics managed to treat her injuries and she was released from Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Judge Lady Hood heard how the woman now struggles with anxiety and depression and has problems with her memory.
Meanwhile, police arrested Hughes shortly after the assault. Detectives discovered that the accused had been in a relationship with his victim for 20 years before splitting up.
Prosecutor Christopher Wilson KC told Lady Hood that law enforcement officers then discovered the reasons why Hughes had preyed on his former partner.
Attempted murder
Speaking about how Hughes chatted to police following his detention, Mr Wilson said: “He stated that he assaulted the complainer because she owed money that she didn’t repay within the expected timescale.”
The story emerged after Hughes, also of Dunbeg, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder with an additional aggravation under section one of a piece of legislation called the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm Act 2016.
The attempted murder is aggravated by the fact that Hughes targeted his former partner.
On Friday, Hughes observed proceedings via video link from prison as he had been remanded in custody at an earlier point in proceedings.
Mr Wilson told the court that the couple had met whilst living in Dublin. They had returned to Scotland in 2005 and settled in the Oban area.
Grabbed ex by hair and struck her with hammer
The prosecutor told the court that the couple split but they still saw each other as they both had common ownership of a dog.
The court heard that Hughes then loaned his ex £500 – she managed to repay £170 of it from her pension.
Mr Wilson added: “The accused claimed that he had debts of his own that required to be honoured.
“The accused and the (his victim) then came to an arrangement that she would provide him with a freezer that she no longer needed as part repayment of the debt.”
The court heard that his victim didn’t get a chance to settle the debt. Hughes came to her home and grabbed her by the hair before striking her repeatedly with a hammer.
Mr Wilson added: “She was bleeding heavily from her wounds.”
Sentence deferred
The court heard the police became involved shortly afterwards and Hughes was brought into custody.
Mr Wilson said that the woman still feels anxiety about what happened to her.
Defence advocate Brian McConnachie KC told the court that he will address the court with mitigation at a sentencing hearing which will be held later this year.
He added: “I would propose to delay that until such a time that a criminal justice social work report is obtained.”
Lady Hood then deferred sentence for the court to obtain a report about Hughes’s background.
She told him: “Your status remains unchanged. You will remain on remand.”
He will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on November 4 2024.
