CCTV footage from a revenge attack by an alleged domestic assault victim was played to Arbroath Sheriff Court.
A recording of Maria Chan, 39, of Wharf Street, Montrose, assaulting her former partner Cameron Buchanan in Montrose High Street was shown to the packed courtroom.
Chan, assisted by her friend Colin Dempster, 39, of Ramsay Street, Montrose, was seen to grab Buchanan as he walked down Montrose High Street in the evening of January 8 last year.
The pair admitted dragging Buchanan by the body down stairs into a close, causing him to repeatedly strike his head and resulting in his lower clothing being removed, then repeatedly kicking and stamping on his genitals all to his injury.
Depute fiscal Hazel Anderson said the attack happened at around 7.30pm. Police, alerted by a 999 call by a passer-by, attended within minutes and found Buchanan sitting on the pavement, bleeding from his head and disorientated.
He was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee where he received treatment for an abrasion to his back, a haematoma and abrasion to his head, bruising to his cheekbone, swelling to his nose, a bruised jaw and a cut to his lip.
Ms Anderson added: “They were traced in Baltic Street in Montrose at 8pm. Neither made any response to caution and charge, however, a short time later Chan stated ‘he deserved it for trying to strangle me and breaking my tooth the other night’.”
Hamish Watt, representing Chan, described her relationship with Buchanan as “lengthy and stormy”.
He said: “During the relationship my client was often a victim herself. She had been injured previously by the complainer and received a chip to her tooth.
“Matters came to a head when she received a telephone call from a friend who stated the complainer was at a party and was having an association with another female.
“She started to drink and became in such a state, all she thought about was the hurt she had been subjected to by the complainer. She is ashamed of her behaviour.”
Nick Markoski, defending Dempster, said his client had played a part in the assault “due to a misguided sense of loyalty to Chan”.
Ms Anderson confirmed a report of domestic abuse had been made to police by Chan but this was not prosecuted.
Sheriff Peter Paterson said: “The court has to recognise that women have a degree of vulnerability in society and they are far too frequently the subject of domestic violence.
“It’s difficult for the court to quantify the effect of the callous conduct of your then partner.
“It doesn’t constitute provocation in law, however it is a significant factor I can’t ignore when considering your disposal.”
He sentenced Chan to a community payback order of 225 hours of unpaid work and Dempster to 270 hours of unpaid work.
He warned: “This is a direct alternative to custody. If you don’t do the work, you will go to jail.”