A convicted killer who subjected his partner to a prolonged and violent domestic abuse ordeal in Fife has been jailed.
Felix McDonald, 38, slapped, punched and kicked Claire Gill on the head and body again and again, and repeatedly threw her to the floor.
He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her from the property in Glenrothes, Fife, where the first brutal attack took place, the High Court in Livingston was told.
He then compelled her to walk from the house in Thistle Drive, to her home at nearby Murchison Court.
There, he continued his vicious assault, repeatedly punching and kicking her on the head and body and grabbing her by the neck.
During the extended attack on October 10 last year he repeatedly slammed a window shut to prevent neighbours hearing her anguished screams for help.
At one point he seized her mobile phone and threw it into the garden to prevent her from contacting the police.
McDonald – who was jailed for culpable homicide in 2006 – was granted bail in another case at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on June 16 2015.
He was freed on special conditions not to approach or contact his ex, who is the mother of his two children.
However, he admitted repeatedly breaching bail by going to her home and talking to her between October 1 and 5, the week before his vicious assault on her.
McDonald, who has been on remand in Perth Prison since October 12 last year, originally denied an attempted murder charge.
He changed his plea at trial to a reduced charge of assault to injury, but only after Mrs Gill had given evidence against him.
Solicitor advocate Gordon Martin, defending, said the culpable homicide conviction had had a considerable effect on how McDonald’s life had progressed since 2006.
He said: “He appreciates that the conviction is a serious matter and he appreciates the effect it must have had on the deceased’s family.
“Some of the consequences of that conviction have resulted in him being treated with a degree of suspicion and reticence by anyone he deals with in life and he has as a result suffered from depression.”
He said the accused had been changing from one type of anti-depressant medication to another at the time of the offence.
Although McDonald’s former partner had not visited him in prison, there had been contact by telephone and letter, he said and he was hopeful of resuming contact on his release.
Mr Martin suggested that some form of post release supervision would benefit McDonald, who had long-standing problems with substance misuse.
Judge Lord Ericht sentenced McDonald to a total of 18 months in prison backdated to the date he was remanded in custody.
Passing sentence, the judge told him: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious domestic assault while on bail and to contacting your partner contrary to bail conditions.
“Your record details a history of persistent offending from the age of 16, including crimes of violence.
“In particular you have a conviction for culpable homicide in 2006 and a history of breaching court orders.
“I’ve noted that the charge to which you pleaded guilty was a significantly lesser charge to that on the indictment, however, I intend to send you to prison.”
Lord Ericht also imposed a supervised release order extending for six months from McDonald’s release.
He warned that any breach of the conditions would see him returned to prison.
