Woman fled Inverness flat in pyjamas after assault

An attack on a woman at an Inverness flat was witnessed from the street by a passer by.

The police were called and arrested Joseph Duggan who was placed on supervision for the assault which happened in Innes Street early on the morning of June 28.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told Duggan attended the woman's address, a first floor flat and the accused seized her by the body and hit her repeatedly on the face and head.

A man in the street heard a male shouting and a female voice in distress so he called the police.

Fiscal depute Robert Weir told Sheriff Margaret Neilson that police witnesses were driving up Innes Street when they observed a woman in pyjamas waving to them from the entrance to the underpass.

She had facial injuries and swelling to her face.

She confirmed to them she had been assaulted and pointed to the open window of her flat and Duggan was seen in the property and he was arrested.

Prior to being placed in a police van he attempted to spit at one of the police officers.

Duggan (32) of Drumossie Road, Inverness admitted assaulting the woman by seizing her by the body and repeatedly striking her to her injury and culpably and recklessly spitting at the police officer.

Mr Weir said the woman was taken to Raigmore Hospital by ambulance for medical treatment. He said: "She was found to have significant soft tissue damage and swelling to the right side of her face."

Solicitor Neil Wilson said Duggan had come to court prepared to go to jail but he asked the sheriff to consider a non-custodial sentence.

He said his last conviction was in 2013 and there was nothing analogous on his record.

Sheriff Neilson placed Duggan on supervision for 18 months and ordered him to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.