Inverness man is told his past is no excuse for domestic violence
A sheriff told a man with a record for domestic violence that witnessing it as he grew up was no licence to commit similar offences.
Sheriff David Harvie was told that Cameron Huggins (21) of Balvaird Terrace, Muir of Ord, was already on a non-harassment order to protect an ex-partner when he appeared before him to admit an assault on a new partner and threatening behaviour.
Sentence had previously been deferred for a background report.
Subscribe to receive free email newsletters
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the offence occurred at an address in Admiral’s View, Inverness on February 19 this year when he and the complainer returned home from work.
Fiscal depute Adele Gray said: "There was a minor disagreement and he went upstairs.
“Twenty minutes later he returned and went into the kitchen."
Ms Gray said his partner came in, he kicked the door shut and started shouting and swearing at her.
"He called her an idiot and she asked him to leave but he pushed her on the shoulder causing her to fall back on to a railing,” she said. “He leant over her and continued to shout into her face.”
The court heard that Huggins left the property and was locked out but banged on the window, shouted and swore and demanded to get back in.
Ms Gray added that police who had been called witnessed this behaviour.
Defending, David Patterson said: "He accepts this was wholly unacceptable. The section (of the background report) about his past makes sad reading as he had these attitudes entrenched in those early years.
"He wants to change his ways and does not want to keep treating females in this way. But a pattern is developing and the men's programme would help. He is immature in his way, does not have the tools to cope and flies off the handle."
Sheriff Harvie told Huggins: "What you witnessed in your young days does not mean you have a right to behave in that way."
He placed him under social work supervision for two years, ordered him to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work and to take part in the domestic abuser's rehabilitation programme.
The sheriff also imposed a three year long non-harassment order to protect Huggins' former partner.
He warned him if he did not comply or re-offended: "The next stage is likely to be custody."
