Inverness woman faced weeks of abuse from partner – the offences occurred between May and August and involved domestic abuse and assault
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A young mum was subjected to weeks of domestic abuse by her new partner, a court has been told.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard previously that Blaine McKenzie’s campaign commenced shortly after he began seeing the woman in May last year then living with her in the city’s Kilmuir Road.
Sentence had been deferred last month by Sheriff Sara Matheson for a background report after McKenzie (29) admitted domestic abuse and assaulting his partner to her injury. He also pleaded guilty to three breaches of bail by contacting her and refusing to provide a breath specimen to police.
The offences occurred between May and August last year.
Jailing him for 15 months, backdated to August 30, Sheriff Matheson added: “The events must have been terrifying for your partner.”
The court heard of an incident in July when McKenzie was with her, driving to Forres. An argument developed about the manner of his driving and he stopped the vehicle, ordering her to get out.
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood said: “She started to walk towards Forres and he threw his keys into a field. He then wanted her to return to help him find them, threatening to throw himself off the nearby Findhorn Bridge if she did not.”
Mrs Eastwood said McKenzie’s partner managed to get a taxi to her mother’s in Forres where he later turned up shouting and swearing.
On July 15 he punched her on the ribs then punched her again after he apologised and she stopped his attempt to cuddle her.
On August 20 he climbed in her kitchen window and preventing her leaving her bedroom. He smashed a bottle, threatened to stab her, punched her, struck her with a key and tried to throw her out a window before she got away.
On August 28 he sent several texts then confronted her again at her mother’s home.
He assaulted a friend who would not let him take his car to go to her, then refused to give a breath sample to police when they pulled him over in his own vehicle.
The court heard he wrote to his partner while on remand, in breach of bail conditions.
Solicitor Iain Maltman said his client had been receiving help for mental health issues.
“He is now improving,” he added.
