Court hears Inverness man threatened to stab his ex in the eyes
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A 37-year-old Inverness man who threatened to stab his former partner in the eyes has been ordered to carry out 108 hours of unpaid work in the community.
Martin Stewart appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court on Friday after a second deferral of sentence for the offence to establish if he was fit to carry out the work sentence instead of going to jail.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood heard details last month about the abuse Stewart subjected his former partner to at a property in Walker Crescent, Inverness.
Stewart had admitted behaving in an abusive and threatening manner while on bail for other offences.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Stewart, of Kintail Crescent, Inverness, waited for his former partner to return to her home on October 11, 2018.
Fiscal depute Rowena Carlton said that the three-and-a-half year relationship between them had ended a few months previously and the woman had asked Stewart to leave.
Ms Carlton added: “They began to argue, he shouted and swore at her before grabbing her by the neck.
“She phoned the police and during the 999 call Stewart could be heard saying ‘I could have stabbed you in the eyes.’
“He also threatened to kill her.”
Defence agent Clare Russell said: “The couple had been at a social gathering, alcohol had been taken by both and an argument developed.”
She added: “His threats were hollow.
“My client suffers from epilepsy and [his former partner] is a trained nurse.
“She shone a light in his eyes and he suffered 12 seizures at the time, but he is not trying to shirk responsibility for his behaviour.”
As well as the term of unpaid work, Stewart was also placed under 18 months of social work supervision and ordered to participate in a domestic violence programme.
