A woman who believed she was going to be murdered by her partner during a savage attack was saved by the arrival of her sister as she fought for her life.
Aiden Palmer then attacked his girlfriend’s sister and the female police officer who answered the 999 call.
On Thursday, he was jailed for 16 months.
He was also made the subject of a non-harassment order preventing him from having any contact with his former partner for two years.
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael said: “I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s no alternative but a custodial sentence. This kind of behaviour is simply unacceptable.”
Perth Sheriff Court was told Palmer, 26, had beaten up the three women within minutes. He initially pinned his girlfriend to the bed by straddling her and throttling her.
When her sister arrived on the scene, Palmer turned on her and punched her several times after thumping her head against a wall.
She managed to escape and called the police but Palmer then attacked the female officer who was first on the scene at his girlfriend’s home.
He punched her on the head and body and tried to bite her during a struggle, which was only ended after her colleague used Pava spray to overpower him.
‘He’s going to kill her’
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney told Perth Sheriff Court: “The accused and the complainer have been in a relationship for several months.
“(The sister) attended after being advised by several people that they had been unable to get in touch with her sister.
“There was no reply to knocking. She tried the door and it was unlocked so she entered. She saw signs of disturbance including upturned chairs.
“She ran upstairs and found the accused on top of (his victim). She had red marks on her neck and her sister described her as looking terrified.
“The accused jumped from the bed, grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her, causing her head to collide with a door frame.
“He grabbed her by her clothing and pushed her against the bannister. She tried to defend herself by scratching his face and he punched her repeatedly.”
Mr Sweeney said she broke free, ran out of the property and contacted the police
She was “outside, visibly distressed and with facial injuries.”
She told officers: “He’s going to kill her. He’s already hit her, and look at my face.”
Palmer came out of a kitchen cupboard in a rage and lunged at the police officer, punching her several times on the body before her colleague could deploy Pava spray.
The officers were affected by the spray but he continued to resist arrest and tried to bite the female officer on the arm.
Further police units were eventually called in and Palmer was handcuffed and placed in leg restraints as he sat in the garden to recover from the spray’s effects.
This kind of behaviour is simply unacceptable.”
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael
Palmer, of Glengarry Road, Perth, admitted attacking and injuring his partner at Carnegie Place, Perth, by straddling her and seizing her by the throat.
He admitted assaulting and injuring his partner’s sister by grabbing her body and clothing, pushing her and repeatedly punching her on the head.
Palmer, who was on bail at the time, also admitted attacking the police officer by punching her head and body, struggling with her and trying to bite her on the body.
He also admitted breaching a bail condition to stay away from his by being in her home when the incidents took place on the afternoon of October 18 last year.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said Palmer had been woken up and got into a row with Ms McLean but could offer no further explanation for the catalogue of violence.
