Terror at hands of drunken partner

A woman was forced to curl into a foetal position during a drunken attack by her partner.

The victim was punched “several times” as brute Thomas Fitzpatrick rained blows to her head.

Fitzpatrick, 23, of Johnstone Drive, Mossblown, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday, March 3.

He admitted assaulting Chloe Brownlee on January 8 this year in George’s Avenue, Ayr, by repeatedly striking her on the head, to her injury.

Craig Wainwright, the fiscal depute, told the court how the accused and his victim had been in a relationship for two years.

“About 5pm, the accused and the complainer were engaged in a phone call. The accused told her he would be in a pub but was told not to return to her address,” he said.

“Despite this,” the fiscal depute said, “At about 9pm he attended her address and entered the property using his own key and an argument ensued about his attendance. During the course of this, the accused punched the witness several times to her head.”

The witness phoned her mother for help and went into the bedroom.

The accused followed her into the room and he punched her again “several times to the head.”

Mr Wainwright said: “The witness was cowering in a foetal position.

“She called police, they attended and he was arrested and taken from the property. He was cautioned and charged and made no reply.”

The victim sustained redness to her left leg and minor injuries to her head.

Defence solicitor Derek Pettigrew said: “Clearly, it’s worrying behaviour. He was living an alternative lifestyle, living on various friends’ couches.

“His immaturity is a problem, along with drink. His memory of the incident is vague. He was extremely drunk. Since appearing from custody he’s moved back in with his mother and is going through an induction at Craig Tara, he’ll be there working and there’s been no further contact with this girl.”

Sheriff John Montgomery told Fitzpatrick: “Were it not for the fact that you only have one previous conviction I would be sending you to jail today.

“I think I might end up sending you to jail anyway, it depends on how you behave in the next three months.”

Fitzpatrick was handed a community payback order which consists of 150 hours of unpaid work in the community within the next six months.

Sentence was also deferred for three months and Fitzpatrick ordered to be of good behaviour while a supplementary criminal justice social work report was called for.

Fitzpatrick’s bail was continued He will return to court on June 4.