Abuser told child to spit on woman

A VIOLENT thug who made a child spit on his partner during months of abuse has been jailed for over two years.

Michael Watson squeezed washing-up liquid into the woman’s face as well as repeatedly punching and kicking her during episodes at an address in Dundee between April and August.

Watson turned violent when the woman would return in the early hours of the morning following nights out with friends.

On one occasion the woman had a milkshake and toys thrown at her before she escaped his clutches.

Fiscal depute Marie Irvine revealed police were contacted in April after an incident between the pair at an address in the city.

Watson, 29, raised a clenched fist at the woman before calling the police himself to make derogatory remarks about her.

Four months later, the woman returned at 7am from a night out and Watson punched her in the stomach after running towards her.

“He grabbed her by the hair and repeatedly punched her on the body,” Ms Irvine said.

“The accused eventually stopped hitting her and took her keys, her phone and bank card and left her with a child.

“She began to feel a lot of pain on her right arm which was swollen.

“She unlocked the door and sat outside the main door of the close.

“The accused then punched her four to five times on the face and once to the back of the head.”

The court heard how a child spat on the woman after encouragement from Watson.

Watson then made desperate attempts to reassure the woman that she would not be harmed any further. She later fell asleep after feeling “drained”.

But the abuse was to continue the next morning when she awoke to find Watson was not in bed.

Ms Irvine added: “She found the accused in the living room with her phone going through her messages and pictures. She got to the front door but it was locked. The accused straddled her and punched her on the face and body.

“The accused picked up a carrier bag full of rubbish and a milkshake and threw it at her as well as squeezing washing up liquid in her face. This lasted for about 15 minutes.”

After Watson went through to the living room to browse the phone, the woman turned on the kitchen taps in order to hide the noise created by her rummaging for keys.

She managed to escape as Watson begged her to come back.

“The woman broke down in tears after reaching a neighbour’s house before police were contacted.

Watson, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pleaded guilty and defence solicitor John Boyle said Watson understood a jail term was inevitable but he was seeking help for difficulties while in prison.

“There’s issues that he needs to address and he’s anxious to seek help,” Mr Boyle told Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown.

“There’s productive work that could be done with Mr Watson.”

Sheriff Martin-Brown jailed Watson for 28 months and placed him on a non-harassment order for the next five years.