A brutal thug who fired a makeshift flamethrower at his partner’s head during an horrific campaign of stalking and assaults on four different women over a decade was today jailed for four years.
David Ogilvie set fire to the spray for an aerosol and directed it at one of the women’s heads during an attack in 2016.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard that was just one incident in a pattern of attacks and harassment against four of his partners between 2007 and 2017.
Controlling Ogilvie – a serial offender with a criminal record littered with domestic abuse convictions – attacked one woman while she was pregnant then later attacked her again while she held her baby in her arms.
He went on to stalk her for two years – pouring glue into the locks of her home, smashing windows with bricks and following her in a car.
The court also heard that part of a later two-year campaign of stalking carried out against one of his victims was committed while he was on a community payback order for yet another domestic offence.
A sheriff described the flamethrower attack as a “grotesque assault” that “must have been terrifying”.
Fiscal depute Sarah Lumsden told the court that Ogilvie had been in relationships with all four of his victims – each of whom described him as becoming “controlling and jealous”.
He would accuse the women of cheating on him, despite being unfaithful himself, before launching his terrifying assaults.
Describing the makeshift flamethrower assault she said Ogilvie first sprayed the aerosol at her before setting it alight with a lighter.
She said: “The liquid was highly flammable and created a large flame which went into the direction of the woman’s head.
“The flame did not touch her but she felt the heat from the flame. She then burst into tears.”
The court was told none of the last three victims had reported their ordeals until they were contacted by investigators from Police Scotland’s domestic abuse task force.
Ogilvie, 29, of Ostlers Way, Kirkcaldy, pleaded guilty on indictment to three charges of assault and two of stalking committed between January 2007 and May 2017 at addresses in Kirkcaldy and Buckhaven.
Defence solicitor Christine Hagan said Ogilvie was now with a new partner – who went to court with Ogilvie to see him sentenced – and that they had recently had a baby.
She added: “He seems to have real insight into his behaviour.
“He is very ashamed of his behaviour and is trying to make things right.
“He’s under absolutely no illusions that the court will be considering a custodial sentence and he is prepared for that.”
Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist QC jailed Ogilvie for four years, reduced from five for his early guilty plea.
He said: “You have pleaded guilty to a catalogue of violent and abusive behaviour towards four separate partners over a period spanning ten years.
“As far as I can see you were prosecuted on no less than five occasions in relation to other domestic cases in that time.
“One charge is stalking offence while you were subject to a community payback order.
“One is a grotesque assault using an aerosol as a flamethrower which must have been terrifying.
“This matter is far too serious to be dealt with by anything other than a substantial prison sentence.”