An NHS 24 nurse called 999 after overhearing an Angus man’s assault on his partner as she tried to get him help for fight injuries.
Drunken Richard Adams had gone to his girlfriend’s flat in Forfar bearing the evidence of an evening scrap, but the 28-year-old resisted her offer of help and instead hit her with her own mobile phone.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard Adams, of the town’s Restenneth Drive had arrived around 8pm on November 27 at the flat of the woman he had been in a relationship with for around two and a half years.
Depute fiscal Kirsten Letford said: “She immediately thought he was under the influence of alcohol and appeared to have some injuries.
“A visitor then arrived at the flat and heard a loud bang from upstairs, as if the accused was jumping up and down.
“His partner went upstairs to investigate and the visitor then heard shouting and screaming. She came down and told the visitor that the accused may have been in a fight earlier.
“She phoned NHS 24 and told him that the nurse on the end of the line wanted to speak to him, but he took a hold of the phone and struck her across the side of her face with it as he moved it towards his ear, causing a four millimetre cut on her lip,” the fiscal added.
“The nurse asked to speak to the woman and told her she heard what had happened and that she was going to be phoning the police.”
Police attended and although the victim did not require medical treatment, an ambulance was called for Adams, who was taken to Ninewells for treatment to his injuries, before then being taking into custody.
Defence solicitor Billy Rennie said: “That was more than three weeks ago and he has had no contact with her since then.
“There has been a cooling off period and there may still be a further cooling off period, whatever the court decides.
“It seems his partner is not yet in a position to forgive him for what happened.”
Mr Rennie added: “This seems to be somewhat out of character.
“He suffered a dislocated shoulder because of this escapade and is now off work on sick pay.
“He hopes to make good the problems he has caused in the relationship.”
Adams was fined £235.
