Glenrothes man who strangled pregnant girlfriend avoids jail

A Glenrothes man who strangled the three months pregnant mother of his child until she could no longer breathe has escaped jail.

Gary Telfer, 21, became enraged when Laurisa Samadi revealed she had received a Valentine’s card from another man. Ms Samadi told Telfer she had been given the card and a letter from a workmate encouraging her to get rid of him.

Depute fiscal Dana Forbes said Telfer and Ms Samadi had been in a relationship for around two years.

Telfer, of Alexander Road, flew into a rage, placing both hands on Ms Samadi’s shoulders and pushing her to the ground where she hit her head on the floor.

At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Monday, Sheriff Max Hendry told Telfer he had decided, with “very substantial hesitation”, not to send him to jail.

He said: “When things don’t go your way you react in a bad way. It may be that with help you will be able to react differently.”

He sentenced Telfer to a two-year community payback order, including supervision, 125 hours of unpaid work and to take part in the domestic abuse groupwork programme.