Man ‘ assaulted partner’
A WOMAN claimed she was assaulted and manipulated by her boyfriend she met online.
The 37- year- old stated she was repeatedly attacked by Christopher Harkins, 37, between January 2013 and April 2014.
She told a court that initially “extravagant” Harkins gave her gifts and took her on a holiday to Venice for her birthday.
However, the woman said their relationship changed when they became an official couple after a month.
The woman stated Harkins tried to isolate her, was verbally abusive towards her and made her walk on “eggshells”.
The woman also recalled a number of incidents where Harkins was allegedly violent towards her which included her being pushed out of her home.
Harkins is on trial at the High Court in Paisley where he faces two rape allegations against a separate woman.
Harkins, of Helensburgh, is further accused of a string of sexual offences against her and another woman.
Harkins is also stated to have assaulted a further woman to the danger of her life and allegedly assaulted the fourth woman whose recorded evidence was heard yesterday.
The total of 18 charges spans between January 2013 and May 2019.
The court heard Harkins added the woman on Facebook on October 2012.
The woman told a jury that she was initially told she was added by accident.
She later claimed Harkins later said to her that he looked her up after finding a newspaper article about her brother’s death.
The woman claimed “extravagant” Harkins bought her lots of champagne on a first date at Mansion House in Glasgow city centre.
She stated they went home separately that night and she received a message from him that she had “passed the test”. The woman continued to see Harkins and became a couple within a month.
She recalled Harkins being “over the top with gifts” and he booked them a trip to Venice for her 26th birthday.
The woman said Harkins went on to question her about her previous boyfriends.
She claimed Harkins tried to isolate her from people that she was close to.
The woman also recalled being called names by Harkins such as “sl* t”.
She said: “We were standing up and he pushed me against the wall with my face and knocked over my lamp.”
The woman stated the pair did not speak about the incident.
She claimed she went to Dubai on holiday and Harkins was “unhappy” about it.
The woman stated Harkins threatened her if she did not come home early enough he would “have a woman over”.
The woman claimed they moved in together at a property in East Kilbride in autumn 2013.
She stated she struggled financially and Harkins wanted her to take out a loan for a DFS sofa.
The woman also recalled days that she was in the house without money for heating or electricity.
The woman claimed she was assaulted for a second time when she knelt down to pick up bags.
She said: “He grabbed my hair and swung me backwards, he then let me go and he spotted my work laptop on the couch.
“He opened the front door and threw it out on the street and it smashed.”
The woman stated she later had to lie to her boss that she dropped the laptop when coming out of her car.
She stated the pair moved out the property and back into their respective mothers’ homes after Harkins allegedly caused “drama” with the landlord.
The woman then moved into another property in East Kilbride where she said Harkins was further abusive towards her.
She stated Harkins cut her clothes with scissors and allegedly remarked: “You are lucky there are no knives in this house.”
The woman later recalled a third and final violent incident towards her at the end of the relationship.
She said: “There was arguing and name calling. He pushed me out the front door of the flat into the close. I was wearing pyjama shorts and a vest – I was knocking on the door to get back in.
“He opened the door and let me into the living room and he was sitting on the couch with my phone.
“I walked to take my phone back and he kicked me on the stomach.”
Michael Meehan KC, defending, put it to the woman that there was arguing and name calling but no physical contact.
The woman replied: “There was violence.”
The trial continues today before judge Alistair Watson.