Glasgow Times

Thug avoids jail after hitting lover with towel

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ATHUG who struck his naked lover several times w i t h a t owel a f t er claiming she was not helping clean the house has avoided jail.

Stephen Keevins, 32, admitted a series of assaults on Joanna Watson between December 2016 and January 2018. This included pushing her, causing her to partially fall down a flight of stairs.

Keevins also compressed her neck on various occasions, including after attending a family memorial to her dead cousin.

Keevins pleaded guilty yesterday at Glasgow Sheriff Court to assaulting Miss Watson at Gleniffer Road, Paisley, and Richmond Park Gardens, Glasgow.

He also admitted attacks on another ex, Rochelle Altman, between 2008 and 2016 in Gleniffer Road.

Keevins was ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work and put under supervisio­n for three years by Sheriff Alan Mackenzie. He said:

“The discount for pleading guilty is you are not going to jail.

“The charges you pleaded guilty to are extremely serious and could attract a custodial sentence.”

An earlier hearing was told Miss Watson got out the shower and was confronted by an irate Keevins in August 2017.

Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “He stated that she was not helping to clean the house and that she was ‘ ripping the p***’. He pushed her to the floor, ripped the towel from around her leaving her naked.

“He then struck her several times on the body full force with the towel and shouted that she was a ‘ s***’ as he did so. This left her feeling degraded and helpless.”

Keevins was raging in an earlier incident when Miss Watson made a joke about having another boyfriend. He called her a “s***” before dragging her out of bed and across the floor leaving her in an “emotional state.”

Keevins was described as “controllin­g” and would repeatedly demand to know her whereabout­s and interrogat­e her about her social media during their 16- month relationsh­ip.

Defence counsel, Lorraine Glancy, told the court Keevins, a service engineer for a fire pump company from Renfrew, married another woman last November and they are expecting a child in January.

Miss Glancy said Keevins has anger management problems and dealt with other personal issues through drink and drugs.

A five- year non- harassment order was granted by Sheriff Mackenzie for Miss Watson and Miss Altman against Keevins.

 ??  ?? Stephen Keevins pleaded guilty to assaults, which took place at locations including Richmond Park Gardens
Stephen Keevins pleaded guilty to assaults, which took place at locations including Richmond Park Gardens

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