A man who attacked his wife and dragged her by the hair through their Blairgowrie home has been jailed for breaching a court-imposed drinking ban.
Stuart Clark appeared at Perth Sheriff Court earlier this year and admitted the terrifying assault on his wife of 35 years.
The court heard how he flew into a violent rage, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her from the living room into the hallway.
Police officers who were called to the scene said the victim was left “extremely upset and distressed” and had a bald patch where hair had been pulled out of her scalp.
Clark was jailed for 74 days for the assault, which happened at his home in West George Street, Blairgowrie in November 2019.
He was also handed a two-year supervision order and ordered by the court not to consume alcohol.
Clark, 63, returned to the dock and admitted breaching the bail order imposed in February last year by drinking alcohol without a reasonable excuse on May 5.
Traced after tip-off
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said: “Police officers on duty in Blairgowrie received intelligence that related to a possible breach of bail by the accused.”
He said the officers went to Clark’s home and found him in the living room.
“There were empty alcohol containers lying around,” he said.
“The accused also appeared to be slurring his words.”
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said her client had “suffered a blip” that day but had otherwise been doing well on an alcohol treatment programme.
“He knows what he has to do but quite simply, this is not going to work if he doesn’t stop drinking.”
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Clark: “You were meant to be here last Wednesday for a community payback order review but I’ve been told you were not in the right condition to attend.
“The reason for that is now patently obvious.
“It is absolutely crystal clear that if you continue to drink to excess, the risk of your offending increases significantly.
“What I am most concerned about is the knock-on effect that this could have on your wife. She is my concern, not you.”
Clark was jailed for four months and told by Sheriff Foulis to “take the time to reflect on your behaviour”.
Wife managed to escape
The court was told that on the morning of the assault, Clark had started arguing with his wife and making abusive remarks as soon as she woke.
Matters escalated throughout the day and Clark was seen drinking in the conservatory at about 3.30pm.
The couple argued again, and he shouted at her: “Get out of my f****** house,” before grabbing her by the hair.
Fiscal depute Mairi Graham said: “He tried to open the front door while still holding onto her hair.”
She managed to get their landline phone and dial 999 before again escaping his clutches and hiding inside a wardrobe, the court heard.
