An Auchterarder man who shattered his partner’s ribs and punctured her lung with a single punch has been jailed for 18 months.
Martin Rogalski was left reeling in the dock after being told his status as a first offender offered “no magic” to protect him from a prison sentence.
The 30-year-old was told he had been guilty of an act of “extreme and unacceptable violence” that could have cost the woman her life.
He was led down to the cells beneath Perth Sheriff Court in handcuffs, protesting that he had been “a good man” all his life and urging Sheriff William Wood to take back his sentence.
Sheriff Wood suggested that he contact his solicitor from prison should he wish to appeal but was otherwise unmoved by the pleas.
The court had earlier heard how Rogalski delivered a single brutal blow to his victim’s midriff during an attack in October last year.
The pair had endured a fractious relationship for many months which finally collapsed after the attack.
Rogalski claimed his partner — they are now separated — had been threatening to have his dog put down “simply to annoy him”.
He accepted that he had struck her following an argument on the doorstep of her home, but denied knowing he had caused her serious injury.
Two days after the attack, his partner was still suffering from pain and discomfort and had to seek out a GP.
Depute Fiscal John Malpass said: “They were concerned that there must be an underlying injury and referred her to Perth Royal Infirmary.
“By this time she was complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath.
“An X-ray revealed a fracture to her ribs, which had led to a small partial collapse of her lung.”
Rogalski, of High Street in Auchterarder, subsequently admitted assaulting a woman on October 24 last year by shouting and swearing at her and punching her on the body to her severe injury.
Solicitor Linda Clark stressed there had been “no sustained assault” and that the injury had been caused by a single punch.
She said the assault had been “an out of character, isolated incident” and stressed that he had never before been in trouble.
After taking some time off the bench to consider his verdict, Sheriff Wood returned to tell him: “There is no magic to being a first offender that protects you from prison.
“This was an act of extreme violence. It may have been one punch but it was a punch that caused your victim severe injury, fracturing her ribs and puncturing her lung.
“Arguably it could have been life-threatening, though that is not libelled.
“Certainly it was an unacceptable level of violence that must be met with a custodial sentence.”
