A high-ranking British military officer accused of a year-long campaign of domestic bullying has had his case put off because witnesses are banned from crossing the border.
Lieutenant-Colonel Simon Bloodworth has been accused of using controlling and coercive behaviour towards his wife in Germany as well as in Coupar Angus and Blairgowrie.
He had been due to stand trial early next month, but the case has been postponed because three of the witnesses live in England and are not allowed to travel into Scotland.
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney asked for the trial to be adjourned and told Perth Sheriff Court the latest lockdown rules made it impossible for the case to go ahead.
“Three of the witnesses are currently residing in England and the trial is currently fixed for January 11,” he said.
“With the current circumstances – the ongoing border issues – I don’t think it would be reasonable to have them travel to Scotland at this stage.”
Bloodworth, 48, is alleged to have threatened to kill a family pet during a campaign of abuse against his wife.
He is alleged to have engaged in a course of abusive behaviour towards his wife from Scotland and Germany between April 1 2019 and April 6 2020.
It is alleged he controlled her finances and purchased her car, mobile phone and laptop in his own name, as well as banning her from going back to work.
He is alleged to have had knowledge of the passwords to his wife’s electronic devices, social media, email and bank accounts.
The charge alleges that on one occasion he made threatening remarks relating to killing the family’s pet dog.
He is alleged to have obtained pictures of an untidy house from a third party and to have turned up uninvited at his mother-in-law’s home.
It is alleged he turned up out of the blue at the Macdonald Highland Resort in Aviemore and followed his wife in a car before approaching and shouting at her.
The Army officer is alleged to have tracked his wife’s movements and followed her in his vehicle as well as banging the door at her mother’s home.
He is alleged to have threatened her in front of other people and demanded that she return to the matrimonial home.
Bloodworth, of Heathfield Road, Invergordon, is alleged to have repeatedly driven past his mother-in-law’s home and to have sent an email stating that his wife, who is in the Royal Army Nursing Corps, was an unfit mother.
The charge alleges that the offence took place in Coupar Angus, Blairgowrie, Aviemore and Invergordon, as well as in Gutersloh, Germany. Bloodworth denies the charge and is on bail with a special condition not to contact or approach his wife.
Trial was adjourned until March by Sheriff William Wood.
