A repeat domestic abuser from Forfar attacked his partner despite special conditions in place to protect her after an earlier assault.
Dean Crighton was lambasted in court for minimising his actions while drunk and telling social workers his “wake-up call” was falling over and hurting himself, not the two nasty attacks.
Crighton, 30, of Yeaman Street, admitted a sustained assault on the woman while they walked home from a night out.
He then attacked her again as she tried to flee from him after bail conditions were put in place to protect her.
The sentencing sheriff at Forfar slammed Crighton’s bid to “deflect responsibility”.
First assault
Crighton first attacked the woman on October 6 last year at The Cross, East High Street and Academy Street, in Forfar.
Fiscal depute Sam Craib said the couple had been for a birthday dinner and then went to Troopers Bar, where they argued and the woman “stormed out, shortly followed by the accused.”
On East High Street, the complainer’s state was such that she was approached by a third party who asked her if she was ok.
The fiscal went on: “At 10.30pm, members of the public from their house heard the complainer shouting ‘get off me’ several times.
“They looked out the window and saw the accused punching the complainer and throw her to the ground.
“The accused was holding the complainer and punching her repeatedly.
“The witnesses couldn’t see whether it was to the head or to the body.
“They continued walking along together and the accused continued to punch the complainer.
“The accused was observed to push the complainer at one point over a small wall but the complainer managed to stay upright.
“However, he then pushed her to the ground and punched her.”
The police were called and visited the woman’s house, where they found she had bruising around her jaw and damaged clothing.
Crighton had a cut knuckle.
Second attack
Crighton was released on bail on the condition he would not to contact his victim.
However, he attacked her outside the Masons pub on Forfar’s East High Street, where she had gone for a drink with a friend on November 25.
He pushed her against a car, pulled her about and took her car keys, leaving her injured
Mr Craib said she was in the toilets when she heard Crighton shouting “you’re disgusting for leaving the house.”
He followed them from the pub and kept shouting.
“The complainer made her way to the car to get away and closed the door and the accused pulled the drivers side door open and dragged the complainer out, shouting in her face: ‘Give me the keys.’
“She refused. The accused has put his hand into her pocket and forcibly removed the car keys, causing the trousers to rip.”
She ran off and called the police.
Aggressive after drinking
Crighton admitted both assaults and breaching bail.
His solicitor Nick Markowski said: “When sober, he’s a hard-working family man.
“When under the influence, certainly he can be aggressive, as shown by these incidents.
“He’s asked me to apologise publicly to his partner.
“Notwithstanding these incidents, she’s keen for the relationship to continue.
“I think he does need professional assistance.
“He’s going in the right direction, stopping drinking and stopping drugs.”
Sheriff ‘not impressed’
Sheriff Derek Reekie imposed 150 hours of unpaid work and two years supervision in relation to the first attack, as an alternative to jail.
Crighton must also complete the Fergus Programme, aimed at rehabilitating domestic offenders.
He will return to be sentenced for the second assault on April 25.
The sheriff said: “He’s minimising his responsibility for this.
“Mr Crighton, I’m not impressed at all by your attempts to deflect responsibility.
“The one in October whilst in public was a nasty assault on someone you were in a relationship with.
“I read from the report you had a wake-up call in December when you fell over and injured yourself.
“It is rather worrying that it wasn’t a wake-up call that you were assaulting your domestic partner.
“The fact that it took you hurting yourself as opposed to hurting her does you no favours whatsoever.”
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