Jail for man (56) who twice assaulted partner in her own home

A DIGGER driver has been jailed for 20 months after attacking his partner twice in five days at her Elgin home.

Inverness Sheriff Court had been told that Alistair Reid (56) of Queen's Road, Inverbervie, had moved back in with his former partner in defiance of a court order banning him from entering Moray or contacting her.

However the illegal reunion did not go well and Reid tried to throttle her in bed after they both had been drinking before assaulting her again a few days later.

Fiscal depute Susan Love told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald at an earlier hearing that Reid went to the woman's property in Elgin on December 5, 2022.

"She let him in and let him stay the night because he was no longer welcome at his bail address,” she said.

"The following night they were in bed and she began drinking alcohol.

“He became angry and rolled on top of her, placing his hands around her neck and applying pressure.

"She was able to breathe but was extremely frightened and afraid. He punched her to the face.

“She told him to get off, he rolled over, apologised, hugged her and fell asleep.”

Ms Love said the victim took no action and the pair stayed together for the next three days without incident.

But on December 10, she was drinking wine and he became very angry.

Sheriff Macdonald heard that Reid slapped her twice which "caused her pain and discomfort" Ms Love went on.

She reported the assault to police and officers found Reid hiding in an upstairs cupboard.

The woman was taken to hospital suffering from a swollen jaw and bruising with other injuries to her ribs, face and body.

Reid admitted two charges of assault to injury and a breach of bail and appeared before Sheriff Gary Aitken for sentence.

Defence solicitor Matthew O'Neill said: "Alcohol appears to be the common factor in the relationship.

“When situations become difficult or stressed, he has difficulty explaining how he is feeling and this builds up his frustration and anger.

“Up until 2022, he had never appeared in court before."

Sheriff Aitken told Reid: "You had no business being in the company of her in December, 2022, having been subject to bail conditions.

"You chose to ignore that and then carried out a significant act of violence against her on December 6.

“To compound matters, you assaulted her again on December 10. Nothing other than a custodial sentence is appropriate."

The Sheriff also imposed a non-harassment order to protect Reid's victim for the next three years.