A violent thug attacked his girlfriend and smashed up another woman’s car during a bitter outburst that brought a dramatic end to a Perthshire house party.
Paul Colquhoun grabbed his partner by the throat and kicked her to the ground after hearing she had been kissing his friend.
He then jumped on what he thought was his friend’s car and kicked out the windscreen.
The vehicle actually belonged to someone else.
Colquoun was previously placed on a restriction of liberty curfew for the offences at a house in Inchture in the early hours of April 5 last year.
But he was hauled back to Perth Sheriff Court to face possible jail time after breaching the order.
Attacked after kissing claim
Colquhoun, of Milne’s East Wynd, Dundee, admitted assaulting his partner and damaging a parked Toyota Yaris on the same occasion.
Fiscal depute Duncan McKenzie told the court how a group of friends including Colquhoun were picked up in a car and driven to a house party at Meadowside Drive.
“During the course of the evening, the accused was informed that his partner and his friend had been kissing.
“This angered the accused.
“There followed an altercation between the accused and his partner, which resulted in everyone leaving the party.”
The friend was then “lost to view,” said Mr McKenzie.
“Mr Colquhoun, who was still angry about the ‘kissing’, approached the car belonging to a female witness.
“He climbed up onto the bonnet and began kicking the windscreen, causing it to break.
“The accused then kicked off both wing mirrors.”
Mr McKenzie said it is believed Colquhoun mistakenly thought the car belonged to his friend.
“He then turned his anger towards his partner,” the prosecutor said.
“He seized her by the throat.
“This was painful but he did not restrict her breathing.”
When he released his grip, the woman ran towards the end of the street.
“She was not familiar with Inchture and returned to the address,” said Mr McKenzie.
“The accused kicked her on the thigh, causing her to fall to the ground.
“She remained on the ground for about five minutes.”
A member of the public ran to her aid and gave her a lift back to Dundee and called police.
Banning order in place
A year-long non-harassment order, banning Colquhoun from approaching his victim, is already in place.
Solicitor Ross Donnelly, defending, said: “The relationship between Mr Colquhoun and his partner has been tempestuous to put it mildly.
“They were constantly bickering and squabbling with each other.
“This, of course, does not excuse Mr Colquhoun’s behaviour.”
Mr Donnelly said: “It is typical of my client to behave in this fashion when he is under the influence of alcohol and when matters involving the complainer flare up.”
The court heard Colquhoun had breached a previously-imposed restriction of liberty order because he had been confined to one room, rather than a flat.
“It was not a peaceful place to spend the evening,” the solicitor said.
“He has now been given his own tenancy in Dundee and has been assessed as suitable for unpaid work.”
Sheriff Paul Brown considered jailing Colquhoun but opted to defer for further reports “and to see if Mr Colquhoun appreciates the position that he is in.”
Colquhoun responded: “Thank you very much.”
He will be sentenced in Dundee Sheriff Court next month.
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