Moray man admits abuse over 13 years at Inverness Sheriff Court

A Keith abuser controlled and assaulted three partners - one who was heavily pregnant - over 13 years and left his victims "petrified and terrified”.

Colin Morrison of Nelson Terrace pleaded guilty to two stalking charges and one charge assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement at Inverness Sheriff Court.

One woman who was six to seven months pregnant had a television held over her head by the 47-year-old and she was convinced she was going to be struck with it.

But fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told Sheriff Sara Matheson that Morrison tapped the frightened partner on the head with it before putting it down.

The court heard that before this, during the relationship between 2001 and 2013, Morrison head-butted the woman and left her with a scar on her nose.

On another occasion, when was planning a hen-do, he dragged her out of the house into a car and threatened to drive into a tree.

In 2008, he picked her up from Huntly railway station.

"He was in a bad mood and as he drove, he suddenly slammed on the brakes, reversed sharply and hit a road sign" the prosecutor added.

During 2009, Morrison and his partner returned home from a night out in Keith and attacked her, striking her on the nose and breaking it.

Her nose was squint and medical staff had to break it again to straighten it, the court heard.

Morrison's also abused a second woman, during his relationship with her between 2012 and 2014.

"He regularly became angry, especially when he had been drinking, complaining about her size even although she was slim, criticised her make-up and appearance and called her stupid,” Ms Duffy-Welsh said.

"He persistently called and texted her fluctuating from pleading to see her to abuse her and make threats.

“She was frightened as he would regularly turn up at her house uninvited."

A third woman was in a relationship with Morrison around 2014.

Sheriff Matheson heard that the man had lost his temper with her and threatened self harm, once sending her a photo of himself lying on the floor with his wrists bleeding.

Defence counsel Bill Adam said the background of this was alcohol abuse but he added: "He has overcome it to a degree by his own efforts. And has not offended since this prosecution began.”

He asked the Sheriff to defer sentence for a background report to which she agreed, setting a date of April 17 and continuing his bail.

But she warned Morrison: "You should read nothing into that."