Nairn man who abused his partner over eight years is jailed
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A sheriff told a Nairn man, who subjected his partner to an eight-year long ordeal of domestic abuse, his conduct was “reprehensible” before jailing him at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Angus Mackie (32) of Queen Street, appeared for sentencing, having previously admitted a series of assaults, detailed in one charge, between December 1, 2012 and June 11, 2020.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening manner when he told his partner he would burn her house down if she left him.
The courageous woman, however – who told police there were “not many days” when she was not bruised by Mackie – secretly recorded a conversation with him where he admitted the string of assaults.
Two days after making the recording she packed his belongings and left them outside her home for him to collect. She then took the recording to police and Mackie was arrested and charged.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson previously deferred sentence for a background report, warning Mackie at the time that “all options” were open to the court.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court then how the first assault took place at the couple’s home in Balmakeith Drive when the woman was three months pregnant.
He punched her on the backside as she climbed the stairs, the prosecutor said.
In other assaults she suffered punching, kicking, spitting and biting then, on two occasions earlier this year, he pressed a knife against her throat.
Just days before he was arrested Mackie also stomped on his victim as she was lying in bed.
Solicitor Emma Mac-Ewan admitted to Sheriff Iain Cruickshank, when Mackie appeared for sentencing, that the background report was not in favourable terms.
But she said Mackie had expressed regret and was ashamed of his conduct and the impact it would have had on his vulnerable victim.
She asked the sheriff to defer sentence for a further report to see if Mackie was a suitable candidate for a programme for domestic abusers.
But Sheriff Cruickshank rejected this plea.
“You have pleaded guilty to a serious and reprehensible offence and I can appreciate the significant impact it has had on your partner,” he told Mackie.
“I have no hesitation in imposing a custodial sentence.”
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