A Perth sheriff issued a stark reminder on Wednesday that domestic abuse of any kind would not be tolerated by the courts.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed repeat offender Krzystof Barszcynski (41) for 10 months after he admitted subjecting his wife to verbal and physical attacks.
Depute fiscal Rebecca Kynaston told the court that, after being arrested for shoving Marzena Tomczyk into a wall on November 28, the Polish national told police, “I simply pushed my wife, almost nothing happened to her.”
The incident witnessed by a nine-year-old took place at their flat in Pomarium Street, Perth. Barszcynski was arrested and charged, and was released on bail with a condition not to enter his former home or contact his wife, who was given a police panic alarm.
However, on December 23 he returned to the property as if nothing had happened and was found by officers in bed smoking a cigarette.
After a number of months apart Ms Tomczyk wrote to the court saying she was struggling to cope without her partner of 14 years and Barszcynski moved back in. The couple reportedly lived quietly until June 11, when Barszcynski lost his temper with his wife for wearing make-up and threatened to stab himself with a kitchen knife.
Ms Kynaston said, “At around 4.30pm that day the accused returned to the flat and shouted at witness Marzena for wearing make-up. He was then seen taking a knife from a kitchen drawer and going to his bedroom.
“Witness Marzena followed him and saw him place the weapon under a pillow. She sat on the pillow to stop him accessing it and police were called.
“However, the accused managed to get the knife and went down to the living room, where he held it to his stomach and threatened to stab himself.”
Barszcynski was arrested and said he had no intention of injuring anyone apart from himself. He added that he had been drunk.Drink problemSolicitor Rosie Scott said her client had been suffering from a drink problem but had sought help and was now “dry.”
“The incident with the knife was melodrama, he did not want to harm anyone else,” she added.
However, Sheriff Foulis believed it was a step too far and he told Barszcynski, “Your previous case had been deferred for good behaviour, meaning you had been given a position of trust. This is effectively the fourth time you have been convicted of a matter which falls within the category of domestic abuse.”
He added, “I told you earlier this year your liberty was very much at risk and then you continue to place your partner in fear by taking a kitchen knife into your bedroom. I am at a loss to understand why you would return home under the influence of alcohol and do this.
“The only realistic conclusion I can come to is that it was yet another example of your threatening behaviour.
“Sometimes people have to be protected from themselves and I also have to consider the message sent out to the wider public. These actions are totally unacceptable.”